


The Boys Club

by Sephypsycologist



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bittybones (Undertale), Gen, Mention of fratricide, Minor Character Death, Reader is a mess and needs lots of help, Reader-Insert, Spirit is the boss, Yarn is a feisty street bitty, amab nonbinary reader but it can be read in any way you like, corrupted nightmare bitties feed on negativity literally, don't worry about the dog it turns out fine, part and parcel for a dusttale bitty, reader gets misgendered, snarky bitty, you guys got little blue in the gang. you did that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:46:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26955313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sephypsycologist/pseuds/Sephypsycologist
Summary: Reader is a depressed/anxious freshman in college living alone in a small apartment far away from their loving family. That's not a good thing.So someone decides they need to take care of them.
Comments: 65
Kudos: 257





	1. Spirit Box

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Bitty House](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22886086) by [BlamefulSea](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlamefulSea/pseuds/BlamefulSea). 



Well….how had you gotten here?

Mostly through being forced by society, university rules, and your own anxiety, you were living alone in an apartment instead of staying in the dorms. A very small, but mid-level nice apartment. You only have to deal with the weird smells from the neighbor’s cooking and the giant dog on the other side of the fence barking every time you go past.

College was paid for, that wasn’t the issue (thanks to your acute awareness of your family’s bad finances, you’d applied to all sorts of scholarships and won several), and your grandparents (bless them) had insisted you have space to yourself so you could concentrate. Your grandmother was your best friend, and she always listened. You miss the smell of the perfume powder she liked to wear. You might buy some when you get yourself around to doing the “proofread and editing for $10” scheme you did in high school again.

But right now, it was your first weekend, and you only had reading as homework, so that was done. You were a very quick reader, even if sometimes words would appear on a page that weren’t actually there, just your brain rearranging letters in proximity.

That means you’re alone with your thoughts, and that’s BAD.

\--

The next week comes around, just small assignments, and your nights are getting into the typical routine of unsettling dreams that just leave you exhausted on waking. Couple that with your crippling social anxiety and class is just peachy.

At least doing the work is easy. Listening to lectures is easy. The participation points are hard to come by for you, but hey, you try.

And at least you don’t have to worry about a roommate.

Besides that weird shadow you keep seeing dart away from the corner of your eye. The one that has tentacles you’re pretty sure (you’ve heard of enough hentai to know where that could go).

Thankfully ghosts were not one of your problem spots. You actually were kind of excited at the idea of a ghost. Maybe, if you talked to them, they’d become a peaceful spirit, or a helpful one. God you wanted a friend who wasn’t going to judge you, and what did a ghost have to gain by judging?

“Uh…” you finally got the courage to talk after seeing the shadow for the fourth time in as many days. “Hey there, um, ghost? Spirit? Person?” You felt a little dumb talking to thin air, but you KNEW that shadow was real. “I keep seeing you move around. Glad I’m not bothering you enough to make you really haunt me or anything.”

There wasn’t an answer, of course, but you chuckled anyway, “I know, I should probably keep quiet then.” You were making fliers for your money earning endevor. Reading as easy, editing came naturally to you, so this was a very reasonable and manageable way to earn money without hurting yourself or getting a dreaded retail job. You did NOT do well with people, especially if they were as rude as all the reddit stories on youtube said they were. “I’m just here for school, so I don’t want to bother you much. I’m just glad you’re letting me stay. Sorry if I get nightmares a lot and scream or something. Or cry too loud. Uh….did mental health care exist in your time? Don’t answer that, it should have even if it didn’t or was really bad. It’s better now. I have a therapist and everything, real nice guy.”

You can almost feel someone trying not to laugh at your rambling.

“I’m a chatterbox when I’m comfortable,” you add, adjusting the sectioning for your little phone number pull tabs. “And as much as it’s weird for other people, I’d rather be around a ghost than a human being. You already know this is your apartment, I just rent it.”

The amusement is there, and you feel something cold touch your hand. You close your eyes, “uh, yep, that’s me.” weirdly, the cold is seeping away the tension your nerves put into your muscles. “I really want to be on good terms with you, spirit, so um….i guess I just wanted to say hi, and that I’m happy to have such a quiet roomie.”

The cold went away, but you heard a floorboard on the other side of the bedroom creak. “see you later, then.”

\--

Your ghost was doing something.

You’d started doing small jobs, only about 3 papers a day to start with while you got used to things and figured out your own homework. And you started noticing little things.

Your tea mugs, when you made tea at night to calm your nerves, would always be washed in the morning even if you’d forgotten to do so. Your pillows never stayed flung off the bed, whether it was you picking them up or not. And, most touchingly, someone kept tucking you in.

Being a fitful sleeper from the constant exhausting dreams, you knew you shouldn’t end up comfortably covered up, not even your feet outside. Even if sometimes you woke up because a pillow was thrown at you and you’d missed your alarm by ten minutes.

That just meant you gave a startled “Thank you!” to the ghost and ran around getting dressed.

All in all, you were managing to at least feel relieved to be home, and always happy with your mysterious shadow. You still saw it, on occasion, and it lingered longer. You’d gotten a good look at it by now, noticing it was, indeed, betentacled and was also incredibly fast. But it was a ghost, of course it would be fast. No need to obey the laws of physics once you were dead.

You talked to the ghost. You told it about your day, coming in and locking the door before flopping onto your great-aunt’s sleeper sofa (all your furniture was donated kindly by your family) and greeting it, “oh boy, spirit box, what a day.” You were not afraid to admit you were addicted to the corny ghost hunting shows when you’d been at home. You also weren’t afraid to say the idea that you’d found what those guys were always looking for made you a little pleased.

Once the recap was over, you would text your mother to tell her you got in safe, then go about making food for yourself and start on your work for the day, either homework or editing.

It was a nice routine, and you still got occasional feelings about how the ghost reacted to what you said. When you’d talked about someone saying a lewd comment to you unasked for, the ghost had been pretty mad. You heard a plastic cup you housed pens on your kitchen counter go flying. “That’s what I thought, too,” you’d said. And when you’d done well on an assignment that had worried you, the ghost was pleased, as noted by the strange pulse of tingling cold to the back of your head or the soft, muffled laughter. Your ghost was a he, you guessed as you heard that laugh.

Of course, you still had your anxiety, and as the first full moon of college approached, as usual, you got worse.

And that’s when it happened.

You’d just wanted a little peace, but one of your professors dropped a huge essay on you about a topic you just had never thought about before. Where would you start?! Yes, you were enjoying your “Worlds of Tomorrow” class, where you learned about how people thought about the future in the past and the present, but you had no prior experience researching these “worlds fairs” that was the focus of this 10 page assignment. That was twice as long as any essay you’d ever written before! And you had to have a BIBLIOGRAPHY!

The logical part of your brain said “the essay isn’t due till midterms” but the rest of you was hyperventilating so you couldn’t hear that over your sobs and desperate breaths.

A weight dropped on your chest and an irritated voice hissed, “breathe you stupid human.”

Scared and still panicking from the essay, you just did as it said, trying to do what your therapist had told you, counting breaths as that chilling weight on your sternum seemed to soak in the chaotic emotions inside you.

After a few minutes of you counting and the weight absorbing your distress, it gave a little groan and flopped forward, “can’t take anymore, but, oof, you’re good now. Don’t hold me, but look, if you want.”

Opening your eyes (when had they closed?) you turn your head to look at your chest and are amazed.

Instead of a translucent figure or floating head or something, an inky black bitty is on your chest, tiny thick tentacles flopped around him as he lay on his back, one hand on his tiny belly and the other against the fabric of your shit. He was as big as your hand, and the look of him told you it was a Sansy variant of some kind.

You have to sniffle, but you smile, “I….I guess you were my ghost, then?”

“yeah,” he gingerly sits up, looking like he had just eaten the best meal of his life from how he’s babying his stomach, and smirks, “I liked spirit better though. sounds….more powerful.”

“thank you,” you don’t care that he’s not a ghost. You are just happy he decided to come out and help you.

“heh….you’re lucky you’re so sad right now that gratitude is bittersweet. I’d get burned right off your chest otherwise,” His voice was soft, deeper than expected for someone so small, and a little thick, like it had to come through mucus or…whatever the gooey stuff looked to be made of was.

“huh?”

“not a bitty aficionado, clearly,” he sighed, “I’m a nightmare. A corrupted one at that. I was attracted here by all the negativity that pours off you, cause it feeds me. but then you went and needed taking care of, so now you’re my meal ticket and my owner.” The heavy sarcasm in the word ‘owner’ was not lost on you. Owning a bitty had never sounded right to you anyways when you’d heard about them. “anyway, positive emotions toward me can be dangerous for my health, so until we get into a more stable area with our soul energies, you need to make sure you aren’t too close when you do feel good. right now you just feel exhausted and worried, so you’re fine.”

“Do…do you want me to still call you spirit?” you asked him as he carefully pushed up to his bare boney feet and climbed down you, then the bed.

“Yes. I’ll take it as my name, in fact. I won’t come out much, but I think you’ve earned the honor of my presence with that banquet of a panic attack,” he smirked, his teeth surprisingly sharp and white as the one cyan light in his visible socket fell back on you. “now go to sleep, human. You don’t have the energy to do anything else.”

You weren’t going to argue with Spirit. He was more in control of things than you, even if he was only a few inches tall.

\--

Now that you’d seen him, Spirit came out more often. He talked to you only now and then, but he’d sit around on shelves, tables, boxes, anywhere that suited him about three feet away from you as you kept up your routine. It was nice to see his face now, though. And to know you weren’t going to wake up in a tentacle cocoon some morning.

And now he’d eat your food, too. At least, now you were leaving a few snacks out for him when you left and they were gone when you came back. Because you’d looked up bitties between your classes the day after he showed himself and you wanted to take care of him properly. He was your friend, and roommate, after all. He at least cared about you, so you’d return the favor.

“I never hear you talk about any hobbies, human,” Spirit said one night while you were watching…uh? Some dating sort of show? You’d been in a depression spiral, you didn’t know.

“I kind of never feel up to doing much besides work or lounging. Heh….lame me, as usual.”

“That’s because you’re depressed. Actually doing stuff anyway will make it better after a while, at least if it’s stuff you used to enjoy,” Spirit huffed at you and disappeared, reappearing next to your hand and wrapping his tendrils around it. You could feel the heaviness in your body ebb away slowly. “good grief, you’re an endless font of food for me. and headaches too. I’m just one bitty, I can’t nursemaid you all the time.”

“You really don’t have to, Spirit, even though I do appreciate it,” you reflexively rub your hand when he lets go, even though nothing on it indicates you’d been drained.

“one, I do if I want you to live at least somewhat comfortably. And I do. and two, I doubt you’d do it for yourself. You haven’t learned yet.”

You look him over as he sits on the cushion nearby, not bothering to move now that he’s fed on your negativity. “How do you know all this stuff about depression?”

Spirit sighed and leans against the pillows on that end, “mostly because I was a service bitty before I went black.” He grins again, “and before I met you, I spent at least a couple of years on the street siphoning off homeless people’s misery. I was pretty feral right after that jackass decided to kill my brother in front of me.”

Oh. Oh God above….he was serious. You had read that Nightmares could corrupt a number of ways, but a big way was losing their Dream. And that….

“What happened to the person you were service bitty to?”

“Oh, she died from heart failure. It was her selfish prick of a son that murdered my brother when she left us in his care in the will….and only us, no money or anything. I think I ripped his left hand apart but I don’t remember,” Spirit sniffed and looked away, as if talking about all this was just old news to him.

“Savage, but not undeserved,” you nod sagely, and he cackled. Frankly, you would have done something similar, at least that’s what your heart tells you. The idea of someone hurting Spirit, after you’d grown so attached to him when he was a ‘ghost’, made your blood boil. But your body never responded to your feelings unless it was to send you deeper into a panic attack. “I can see why you’d rather be your own bitty then. Not that I couldn’t before, but it’s more obvious now.”

“you’re in a depression gap,” his little head turned up to you, looking over your face, “and you’re hungry. Go eat a snack.”

“Yes, mom.”

“Say that again and I’ll bite you.”

“Okay, Spirit, sorry.”

\--

Spirit didn’t seem to like that you were taking him to the bitty store, if the sharp ends of his tentacles and the hissing was anything to go by.

“It’s the law, Spirit,” you say, genuinely upset that you were making him so mad. He’d been so good to you and now you were betraying his trust because you were more scared of someone taking you to jail than of Spirit’s anger. “I would die in prison…and I’d get at least five years for an undeclared bitty.”

Seeing that you were on the verge of tears, Spirit’s expression eased and he stopped hissing. Maybe he just didn’t like riding in the bug box. It was the cheapest and easiest to wrap blankets around container you’d found at the Walmart when you had looked for something for him to ride in your car with.

“you’re impossible, but at least you’re honest,” he growled, sticking his tongue out at you. It glowed a bright cyan just like his eye and the magic that glinted off his bones and tendrils.

The shop was small, at least compared to the shops around it, but it looked nice. A 2 story building, with bitties running around able to be seen through the window downstairs, and a high, spritely bell on the door as you walked in with Spirit in his box (no lid of course).

The young man working the counter smiled, “Heya. Welcome to Spooks and Cutes, I’m Rogers. How can I help you?”

Spirit had crawled up to lean over the side of the box and Rogers’ eyes went wide. “Uh, this is Spirit. He was a…..uh….? What do I call you, Spirit?”

“I violently left my former owner’s care, lived on my own for a few years, then chose you as my pet,” he says, looking smug.

“What he said, yeah,” you nodded, sighing. “I came to do the paperwork so I don’t get arrested.”

Rogers seemed to shake out of a trance, “I dunno how you got a wild C-night to like you, but sure. Let’s get things settled with the paper pushers so you two can chill.” He laughed a little, now seeming very excited as he got out some papers.

\--

Spirit watched as his human wrote down things, asking questions to himself and Rogers when needed.

He’d chosen them firstly for their abundant negativity, including deliciously malevolent dreams, but the bonus of them being pretty much hopeless and dependent on his help made him grin. The part of him that wasn’t sick, that was still a service bitty, was so enjoying helping them be healthier and happier, and the part that WAS sick loved having all that hopelessness and fear around.

All in all, as much as he could while their souls were still acclimating to each other, Spirit was very pleased with his choice.

His CHOICE. Oh Spirit liked that he could make choices now. No surviving, no being treated like a pet, no. You let him make choices. You let him speak his mind and boss you around and seemed quite grateful to him for it. Well….if he was being honest, as he looked you over while you signed more papers, you needed his help so badly he hadn’t been able to keep hidden any longer. He didn’t know what had caused you to be so anxious, depressed, and lonesome, but the fact his presence had eased that for you made his tiny soul ache with relief, even if the little jolts of gratitude and affection he got from you burned a little bit.

Spirit felt the other bitties in the shop watching, and he looked them over. Horrors, Errors, Fells of all stripes, even some Crosses and Dusts….Killers too.

“is this some kind of horror fetish shop or what?” he asked Rogers, and you squeaked in shock at his bluntness.

“Not fetish, but it is for those who would rather have a non-traditional choice in bitties, mostly for those who either have experience, or just haven’t found a bond with the more run of the mill types,” Rogers shrugged. “Had a few like you in before, but you guys know what you want in a human, and they found theirs pretty fast.”

“Hmmm,” Spirit looked over the place and chuckled, “if you’re that good at homing scary bitties, you’re probably going to run out of inventory.”

You sigh now that you’re sure Rogers isn’t mad or embarrassed with Spirit.

The employee grinned, “I’d love that. I want these guys to find their person like you did, if maybe a little more safely.”

“I’d be a wreck without him,” you confess, “Freshman year of college is a terror on your own.”

“Oooh, yeah bud, I’m a junior, know that feel,” Rogers nodded. “But, if you ever need a job or an outlet, we do take volunteers and I’ll let you know first with openings. Anybody who can bond with a dangerous dude like Spirit is more than welcome here.”

“this human’s more dangerous to themselves than I could ever be,” Spirit sniffed as Rogers took up the papers. It was always boggling how blind to soul energy humans were.

“You’re the boss, Spirit, dude,” Rogers grinned and you seemed to find enough in you to smile, too. That was good. Spirit wanted you to find more moments like that. It would help you get better. “But while you two’re here, lets get ya a proper carrier so you don’t have to go back in this? It’s not…strictly up to legal bitty transport standards?”

“Yeah, I was kind of panicking about the jail thing,” you admit, and Spirit helps you pick which carrying method would work for the two of you. He knew your back tended to hurt from the tension, so it had to be weighted right.

In the end, you got not only a carry box with cushy interior, but also a “nest bed” since Spirit had decided he didn’t need to live in the walls anymore. You’d both sleep better if he was close by to deal with the negativity of your dreams. It was also a rather big nest, so Spirit could roll around in his sleep even more than you did if he so chose. There was easily room for two other bitties, if he was guessing, but you had insisted because you knew how important space in a bed can be.

Well, there was also the six or so new outfits he’d picked out, but Spirit was a little shy at the idea of changing his clothes. Seeing himself had never been his favorite thing, and he outright hated the look of his body now that he was corrupted. Ironic, a negativity creature having a trigger of his own.

But still…maybe if he changed only in the dark he could finally wear something clean….it had been so long.

\--

Even though he had his nest, Spirit slept on your chest that night because you’d been feeling anxious about spending all the money you did, even though you had wanted to be good to Spirit. Every time a new wave of cringe came from inside you, Spirit’s little body just soaked it up like a sponge.

He was cool to the touch, as you carefully let his tendrils curl around your fingers in reflex to the gentle pressure against them. The tendrils were squishy, but in the way that relaxed muscle was squishy, and his bones themselves were silky smooth, your finger running over his skull. You couldn’t feel anything but exhaustion from how tense you’d been just trying to get to and from the shop, but that was probably good. Too much affection in your intent could hurt Spirit at this early stage.

But at least you knew he wanted you safe. There was no doubt to you that Spirit had invested his whole self into being there for you. He acted aloof, though, and that made you just like him more. He wasn’t saccharine with his care, just practical. That was nice. That was more what you needed.

He was more what you needed.


	2. Dowsing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Spirit spend time together, and a surprise drops in your metaphorical lap.

“you’re doing it again.”

You feel the guilt instantly, “Sorry, Spirit.”

“I know. you just have to wait a few more weeks.”

Spirit was being very patient with you, but it was hard. You just….you were someone who loved others quickly and absolutely. Loyalty was something you can’t imagine not having, it was so intrinsic in who you are. And so you had unconsciously been pouring out positivity at Spirit often.

He looks at you and shakes his head, smiling bemusedly, “you’re just utterly hopeless without me, huh?”

“I am now,” you smile a bit, but chastise yourself internally. “it’s really hard for me to keep this under control….i’m so sorry.”

“well, the guilt is helping but I realize that’s not healthy for you,” Spirit sighs and thinks for a minute “ugh, this would be so much easier with a dream or a baby blue around. they’d be more than happy to take this affection you want to give out.”

“I don’t think I could handle a Baby Blue,” You feel even worse now. “They’re so energetic and loud. I can’t really handle personalities like that.” Not that it was their fault. All Bitties, as your research had shown, were absolutely precious and you wanted them to be happy. You just knew a bitty like that wouldn’t be happy with you.

“neither can I, they’re irritating and don’t take no for an answer very well,” Spirit sighed and rubbed his sockets. “and I don’t want a Dream in here….for obvious reasons.”

Now that hurt you more. No, you wouldn’t ever think of bringing that sort of painful reminder in here with Spirit.

“human.”

You looked up. Spirit had a bag of Goldfish crackers in his tendril looking about ready to throw it at you. “that was just me thinking out loud. I don’t think you’d ever do that. stop being cruel to yourself. This is just a logistics problem that we can work through. I may spend more time in a room away from you if it helps keep those pulses down to a minimum. And, in respect to other bitties, I wouldn’t be surprised if you could be ANY bitty’s perfect human. The fact we’re having this problem means you have a lot of love to give and that’s a good thing for a human. It’s just our unique relationship that has a problem with it.”

The idea he was going to bean you with Goldfish made you laugh, but his reassurance eased you out of the self loathing you’d felt rising in your throat. “Why don’t you get your bath first, Spirit, then I’ll go and we can both be at least clean for tomorrow.” It was going to be the first time you and Spirit actually had an outing together. You were hoping it was good for him, and you, too, but it worried you. Going to the mall by yourself was not something you really enjoyed…but you weren’t alone, were you?

Putting his crackers down, Spirt nodded, “good idea. And make sure you actually spend some time in there tonight. I can feel you relax more in the warm water than if you rush it. self care is important for you humans.”

An urge to correct him, insist it was important for him, too, came across your mind, but you didn’t.

\--

That night, Spirit watched you. You double checked the bag you were bringing for your Saturday outing, making sure your wallet and money were in there, making sure you had a notebook and pencil (for some reason?), going over the route to the mall.

Spirit had been there, since a lot of the homeless in this city looked in the trash there for anything they could use from all the various restaurants and stores. He’d never been inside, though, so this was a tantalizing new experience.

Right now, he was bundled up in a large, fluffy orange towel. You had lots of colorful linens, he’d noticed, and the little sparks of happiness you had looking at them were good signs you could be drawn further out of your depression’s hold. The anxiety was being more stubborn, unfortunately, but he’d only been working with you a little while. He had time.

He wouldn’t tell you that he’d rushed his own bath just to not see himself nude. His body issues were not your problem, after all, and would just make you more worried about him than you already were. Maybe one day, when you were better. When he wasn’t still reeling from the fact you were struggling NOT to love him because you loved him already.

Noticing his gaze, you ask him, adjusting your blue Pirates of the Carribbean pajama pants, “I’m worrying too much, aren’t I? Why don’t we just relax and watch something?”

“show me the oldest movie in your collection,” Spirit grinned. This should tell him something about his human, how far back they bothered to think, what kind of ideas from years past resonated with them.

“Oh that’s easy. One of the black and whites, of course.” You dug through the DVDs in a box under your television, and pulled one out, “Bells of St. Mary’s, old Bing Crosby movie.”

“My deceased owner used to play his records around Christmas,” Spirit mentioned, watching you put the DVD in and choose that film instead of another on the same disk. “I wasn’t aware he also acted.”

“Yeah, my family has those records, too,” you curl up on the far end of the sofa and hug a pillow as you do some counted breaths to ease your fluster at needing to find the DVD. “My oldest sibling loves old movies, so I ended up liking them, too.”

Spirit nodded, now paying attention to the humans on the screen.

A funny thing, he thought as he observed you through the corner of his eye, how you clearly knew this film by heart, yet still smiled and frowned as if you were hearing the lines for the first time. How there were little tears lingering in your eyes as Bing sang to the old priest…and at the end, when he had to leave.

But you were happy, but a nostalgic kind that was tinged with loneliness, loss, and isolation. You enjoyed the film, but you remembered other nights you’d watched it, with other people and the emotions attached to those nights.

“You’re tired,” he says, and you nod. “let’s go to bed then. do your routine while I’m dressing.” That gets you into the bathroom, and Spirit goes to his little chest of drawers to take out his clothes for the night and next day. A plain white shirt and some stretchy grey pants were good enough to sleep in. The fact he could choose was still kind of fun.

His little nest was on the bedside table, or one of them, the one on the side you slept on in your full sized bed. The blanket was warm, the little pillows comfortable, as well as the bed itself, even if it was too big for just him. But your bed was too big for just you, too. He chuckled at the mirroring. Oh well, it was bound to happen. He was attached to you, after all, and it was nice knowing he wouldn’t wake up cold, alone, and hungry. The effort you made to keep him well was admirable.

Spirit was asleep before you came back. How could he stay awake when he was full of both food and energy, comfortable, and confident he was safe in your presence?

\--

Purring was not something you thought you’d hear from Spirit. Bitties purred, yes, but that was a happy sound. Spirit was usually neutral most of the time and you were a little surprised when he purred as you ate your lunch from the Chinese place at the food court in the mall. Apparently giving him orange chicken was enough to make him purr.

There were other bitties around, you’d noticed as you walked through the long hallway that was the mall, but Spirit wasn’t interested in any of them, or any of the humans either. Just in what you were doing.

“Ugh…this place drips with pre-teen female bubbliness,” he said as you looked through the Halloween stuff that had been set out near the front of the Claire’s.

“Yeah, but at least they have some cute Halloween stuff,” you loved Halloween, the only time of year when the world seemed to shift just enough to be more manageable, when night was the preferred time and people talked in nervous hush instead of boisterous booms. The cool fall weather was nice enough to go outside and not be uncomfortable either way, the thunderstorms moved from afternoon to overnight, and the scent of leaves replaced the unbearable stench of mown grass.

“you like ‘cute’ things, don’t you?” Spirit teased, and you nodded.

“I like non-threatening things, to be more accurate. If something is going to be around me, I don’t need it increasing my anxiety,” you sigh. You wish you could just be yourself, but you had to play parts in public. You were “an adult” and “mature” now, so admitting you still felt like a child who this store was more catered to was a no go.

“No, you like cute things, and you’re anxious about being judged for it,” Spirit stated bluntly, the tendril around your ear anchoring him to your shoulder as you stood. “I’m not going to make fun of you for it and anyone who does should eat bleach. You’re fine.”

Yes, the bitty who said that also purred over cheap Chinese. But you didn’t point it out, of course. No, you wouldn’t make fun of him if he didn’t make fun of you. Still….you secretly added Spirit to the list of “Cute Things”.

\--

One day, some time later, when you had gotten through your first quizzes and put in a few essays of your own besides the ones you regularly edited, Spirit tugged on your shirt.

“human,” he refused to use your name, you didn’t much care, “there’s been some bitty living in the tree hollow outside for a week now. He keeps getting weaker but I was going to let him take care of himself. He left it too long. You need to go help him or he’ll dust.”

“Spirit! You could have told me sooner!” you get up, a bolt of worry and guilt hitting your soul.

“I thought he’d be stubborn enough to survive without help; I was wrong,” shrugging, Spirit led you out of the apartment door and to a tree near the fence….the same fence the big scary dog lived behind.

The hollow of the tree was about a foot higher up than your head reached, so you had to scramble upward on the bulging burls near the roots. It wasn’t a large opening, but it was covered with blue strings, making a web of sort. “Hello?” you ask the bitty Spirit said was inside.

“who the f-f-fuck are you?!” a voice responded, panicked and angry, skipping like a record.

Spirit had crawled up by now, wrapping his tentacles around the strings and yanking them free only for them to dissolve in his grip. “ah, an error,” he said.

He was right, the bitty inside leaking marrow from a large bite around his torso, red and yellow eyes wide, black bones rattling as his yellow tipped fingers tried to drag him backwards and away from you and Spirit.

“leave me alone, you sliiiii-imey jerk. let me dust in-in-in-in peace,” his voice was soft, even as it skipped and stuck, actual tears dripping from his sockets as he cowered backward.

“human,” Spirit turned to you, “you should go get the carrier. He’ll need to see someone about these wounds.”

“Oh! Good idea, Spirit! You watch over him till I get back!” you’re off like a shot, racing out of fear for the injured bitty.

“So,” Spirit looked at the Error, “you’re going to get help with me and my human. And then you’re going to be joining us in the house.”

“What?” the Error hissed, his anger making him speak a little too loudly and hurt his damaged ribs. “why would I e-e-ever let a human take me anywhere? You can’t make me go with you.”

“I can,” Spirit just smiled, undeterred, “you’re injured, hungry, and low on magic. I’m healthy, whole, and very much more powerful that you. And my human needs more eyes on them than just me to keep improving, and someone like you, who can observe and unflinchingly cut out the unnecessary, is the perfect helper.”

“even so-o-o,” the Error grumbled, shaking still, “what do I get out of any of this?”

“a home safe from dogs, for one,” Spirit leaned on the tree, still scanning the other bitty over with his eye light. “food, clothes, shelter, and plenty of affection for another. Even if you’re new, I’m pretty sure my soft hearted human would attach to you quickly. They can’t love me the way they want to yet, would hurt me, so they’ll probably figure out how to love you first.”

“tch, like anyone needs a humaaaaaaa-human’s love. I’ve survived on my own this long.”

Spirit chuckled, “you don’t seem to get it, friend. I’m saying you go with us and become my partner in helping my human….” His teeth sharpened and tendrils writhed, “or I dust you now and save my human the money and effort of nursing you back to health.”

The blunt statement, with only the visual change to increase the threat, made the bitty flinch. He’d forgotten, in all his time away from a shop, how scary a corrupted nightmare could be. And there was no doubting what Spirit had said either, sensing the murderous intent instantly. “alright! alright, fine. no need to wor-or-ork yourself up about it, octopus. i’ll do it. ‘s better than staaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-staying in here and getting weaker.”

“I thought you’d see sense,” Spirt nodded, hearing the door close again as you came back, “for being cooperative, I’ll tell them about your touch problem and lift you around with magic instead.” That was reasonable to Spirit. He’d only had to threaten the Error once after all. Quite compliant, all things considered.

You returned, “How are we going to get him out? I don’t think my hand is small enough for that hole.”

“I’ll lift him,” Spirit called back, doing as he said and using his magic, “Errors all have some level of Haphephobia, touch fear, so you shouldn’t touch him till he’s initiated it on his own, especially right now. The stress of a touch could kill him.”

Your eyes widened, and you frown, looking into the carrier as Error is placed inside, “poor little buddy, I’m glad Spirit told me. I don’t want to ever make you uncomfortable.”

“thanks, but I’m not your bu-u-uddy,” was the reply through gritted teeth. The move had irritated his wounds.

“Okay,” you just nod and start walking when Spirit teleported to the far side of the carrier from Error. “Well, I do hope you’ll stick with us anyway, after we get you seen to. I want to make sure you make it after this, Error. Now that I have Spirit with me, I kind of have a better handle on how important it is to look out for you guys. Uh, bitties in general, I mean. But especially ones who live near me. Like you and Spirit.”

Spirit grinned at the injured bitty, and Error huffed, “just….fine. I’ll stick around. jus-us-ust because living with a human is easier than scavenging.”

“That’s great!” you beam, and Error is kind of shocked by the reaction, “I’ll be careful about not touching you, and we’ll get a few new things for you. Your clothes are more than ruined by all that marrow and the bite marks….oh, and a name. Do you have a preference?”

“no just…whatever.”

You think as you get in the car, and you head to the bitty shop, “How about….Yarn?”

“why ya-a-arn?”

Blushing, you answer as you turn a corner, “Because you made those blue strings. They look like yarn, and also because I’ve been watching videos about Kirby’s Epic Yarn recently. It’s a pretty fun video game.”

“of course you name meeeeee-me after a game. But yeah, guess that works,” Yarn is blushing softly yellow, making Spirit snicker.

You’re bolstered by how aware Yarn is, feeling that’s a good sign that he’ll recover from his injuries. Still, you keep your drive as gentle as you can while still hurrying to the shop, double checking that the carrier is properly secure at every light and trying to quell your anxiety about the safety of your new friend.

\--

Rogers is there, but his coworker (a sweet pink lizard monster named Janet) is the one who rushes Yarn into the back when you come in and ask if they can help an injured bitty.

“Oh oh oh, little Error sweetie, did you get bit by a dog?!” Janet’s tongue is dark purple and flicking nervously. “You’re so weak, honeybuns, oh oh oh….” she’s dashing about a little clinic sort-of area, getting out supplies like bandages, medical magic spray, and what looks like a hospital gown for bitties.

“This mongrel next door decided I was a chew toy,” Yarn hissed, “and stop calling me pet names!”

“We’re calling him Yarn, if that helps,” you offer, and Spirit nods.

“Oh!” Janet seems more at ease, “That does help. Now I know he’s going to have someone to look after him when we get him out of the woods. Yarn, if you don’t mind, could you stay real still while we get those dirty things off you? Human, dear, you can go look for him some new clothes while we do the embarrassing part, I’ll come get you when we’re done.”

“DON’T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!” Yarn squeals as his rattling gets worse. “one of y-y-y-y-you has to stay!”

Hopping down onto the exam bench, Spirit sits near Yarn, “i’ll stay. You need your fear absorbed to stay calm anyway. Go ahead and go shopping. We’ll be fine.”

You feel a little lightheaded from how hectic today has been. For Yarn’s sake, you leave.

Rogers is in the shop, picking things up, “Oh, I thought she’d send you out. Errors are notoriously hard to heal since they hate touch so much. Heard her from here squeaking about him.” He’s holding up some little shirts and pants that look like the stuff the errors in the tanks were wearing, “They tend to go for black with yellow and blue trim. Thought I’d make it easier for you.”

“Thank you,” you’re glad Rogers is watching out for you with all this bitty stuff.

“You gonna keep him?”

“yeah,” all these little clothes were super cute, and you gave sad looks at the more fluffy of them. You’re already sure neither Spirit nor Yarn would ever want to wear them. Even if you would love to see them try. “I feel kind of bad when I have to leave Spirit at home alone. Having Yarn there will make sure he’s not lonely, and I’m very worried about Yarn recovering so….yeah, two birds and all that.”

Nodding, Roger handed you a plastic package off a shelf. Gloves, of some kind, “These are one size fits all, and this is how you can touch your new buddy without him having a crash. Crashing is what happens when an Error’s mind gets overloaded, they’ll freeze in place or pass out while their eyes bluescreen. These gloves are a texture that the Errors can stand, mostly because it’s woven from their own strings. This way you can move him while he recovers and have something to help him get used to you so you can start working on his phobia, if he wants to improve it.”

“That’s great!” you’re very excited at the idea of helping Yarn, or at the very least not harming him if you do have to touch him to, say, clean his wounds or something. “Anything else I should know about Errors?”

“Uh…” Rogers shrugs, “They don’t like Ink bitties, but other than that, they’re pretty chill little dudes. They like their space, love chocolate, enjoy cheesy shows on TV, and want to be loved like anybody else. Oh. They also have like…three tongues. Dunno why, but I found that out after giving the ones here their ice cream for the first time.”

That was a very weird tidbit of information, but it was cool. You hope that doesn’t mean Yarn bites his tongue by mistake more often, though.

\--

Yarn hisses at Spirit as he sits nearby, “This is your fault. If I dust from getting touched, I will fuuuuuu-fucking haunt you.”

“language, friend,” Spirit grinned, his teeth so white against his inky body, “my human has already formed a tentative bond to your soul just from how badly they want you to live. Can’t you feel them?”

As he was cleaned with swabs and gently maneuvered by Janet in those strange, unbothering gloves, Yarn thought for a moment. Could he feel something? Yes, he could, there. Something warm and soothing, if very faint. He’d never felt anything like this.

Yarn had run away from a center like this one. He wanted to be free, no stupid rules or STUPID INKS around. It wasn’t easy to live in the wild, but he’d managed, using his strings much like a spider bitty would. He hunted, he hid, and he did very well for himself until he’d made the mistake of falling off the fence into the yard of that hideous mutt.

In all that time, with all the other street bitties he’d met, he’d never had a connection like this. The pure sharing of energy for survival, yes, that he’d felt, but this was different. The human’s soul seemed so much bigger than any other he’d felt. Some of that was the difference between a bitty and a human, both in body size and power of soul. But he’d felt human souls before. When they’d pass his hiding place, he’d feel them from how very strong and unguarded they were. But this human…

“Why do they ca-a-are so much? We literally just met,” Yarn asks Spirit, who smirks a little more.

“I told you they are soft-hearted. Even this far off, I can feel their hope that you’ll get better. Stings a bit, but it’s not so bad since it’s directed at you,” Spirit’s tendril pokes the center of Yarn’s forehead, and draws out he confusion and anxiety he could sense building up. “so relax, you’re going to be well cared for. Just be patient for a bit while you’re healing.”

Yarn huffed, just holding still while he was sprayed with the medical magic, sighing as the cracks and chips in his bones began to heal.

Spirit looked him over, neutral, “I’m kind of surprised your bones are mostly red. I’ve never seen an error naked before.”

“STOP LOOKING, PERVER-ER-ERT!”

Chuckling, Spirit put his tendril over his eye, “not like I haven’t seen bare bones before. We’re both skeletons.”

“I don’t ca-aaaaaaaaa-care!” Yarn grabbed the offered hospital gown and put it on quickly, still sore from his wounds and thus wincing at places. “just because you could dust me right now doesn’t mean you ge-e-et to humiliate me or invade my per-er-ersonal space!”

Holding his hands up in surrender, Spirit agreed, “true. I can’t expect you to be of help to me if you don’t trust me. my bad, as they say.”

Yarn grumbled as he sat back down, crossing his arms.

Janet smiled down at them, “You two already sound like brothers. I’m sure you’ll settle in quickly, Yarn, and you’ll be good to go home now once I get you some monster food. Your human should be back with your new clothes soon.”

The Bitties just shrugged and Spirit moved his tendril away from his face, “I assume I can see now.”

“yeah, sure,” was the surly reply.

\--

Coming back in to the little back room clinic, you show Yarn the outfits you and Rogers decided on for him. He chooses one, and you turn around to give him privacy as Spirit teleports to your shoulder.

Janet explains as Yarn changes, “He’s going to recover just fine, but he should eat at least one meal of pure monster food every day for a week, and you should clean his scars with magic solution before every bath for that time as well. That will help minimize them, and he’ll need to come back for a check up. We’ll call you later to schedule it. Did you go ahead and register him?”

“Yeah,” you were a little proud of yourself for thinking ahead that far, “I got that squared away.”

“Good!” Janet’s chipper voice seemed to be making Spirit grouchy, as he hid his face against your neck and grumbled. “Then we can get Yarn here back in a carrier and you can be on your way once you’ve paid for the treatment.”

“I did that, too,” you felt your heart sink. It had been…pretty expensive.

Spirit drew that out of you and sighed, nudging you with his skull. “it’s okay, human, we have more than enough until you can make more.”

Yarn seemed wary about what you and Janet were saying, but he clambered into the carrier on his own as you set Spirit in it. They were both quiet as you said your goodbyes to Janet and Rogers, heading back for the car.

Once you were inside, though, Yarn asked, “you’re really poor, are-re-ren’t you?”

“Well, I’m a college student. I live off the leftover money from my scholarships and my grandparents pay my rent,” you mumbled in response. “Uh….I do have a sort of job editing and proofreading essays. That’s where I get a lot of my extra funds.”

“god, you’re even more patheeeeee-etic than you sounded before,” Yarn turns to Spirit, “no wonder you wanted me to help take care of them. They literally paid for my life with their la-a-ast dollar, I’d be stupid not to take care of them after this. they’re going to kill themselves without us.”

You laugh, but you feel like he’s right. He must have felt the little squeeze of your heart in affection for him, because he blushes yellow and pouts at you, “and you’re sappy. ugh.”


	3. EMP (emergency meal plan) generator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yarn spends time getting used to his new family, and some insight into the life you have now that he's joined the family.

He hadn’t been prepared for this.

Yarn stared at the bitty bed, where Spirit was already curled up under the large blanket, and shook his head, “no. not happening.”

Not even bothering to think about what the human or his new ‘brother’ would say, Yarn shot his strings up at the walls and began sticking them about to make himself a safe corner where the walls met the ceiling.

Spirit just shook his head, “you realize you’re using magic you could save for healing by doing that, right?”

“yes, but youuuuu,” he coughed to stop the glitch, “you can’t touch me in my sleep. I’m still mad at you for the peeee-peeping tom act.”

“there’s more than enough room for us both?” Spirit tilted his head, watching the other bitty arranging his strings and finally settling in. “and you’re also going to get cold up there.”

“don’t care, goodnight, go dddddddddddd-dust.”

You come back from the bathroom and jolt as you see the blue web ball in the corner of your ceiling, but then take a deep breath and realize it’s just Yarn. “Um, are you going to be okay up there? I don’t want you to fall…”

Rolling his eyes, Yarn turns around and looks out the entry of the web, “I’ve lived in one o-o-of these outside, human. I’ll be fine.”

Nodding, you get in bed and quietly say, “Okay. Um…goodnight, guys.”

“goodnight, human,” Spirit says, and he waits expectantly.

Yarn growls, “fine, goooo-goodnight.”

Well, it was better than nothing.

\--

He woke up to the bed creaking and the human groaning, along with what he guessed was Spirit’s whispers.

Looking out in annoyance, Yarn watched as Spirit flattened himself against your chest and spoke softly, far too quiet for Yarn to hear but whatever it was, it seemed to be helping you. you looked terrified, gripping the sheets tightly with your face crumpled in on itself. How were you still asleep?

This…suddenly feels intimate. Like he shouldn’t be watching as your face slowly relaxes and a shimmer tells him tears fell from your closed eyes.

Yarn tries not to think about it too much as he tries to go to sleep again.

\--

In the morning, he’s surprised to hear your quiet voice, “Yarn? Hey, it’s time to get up. Breakfast is ready.”

You’re just under his web, looking up and smiling, and that little thread of connection he’d felt between you yesterday was now a full thread. He could feel how nervous you were about waking him, that he might be angry with you, but there was also a deep joy that he was alright and you could see him looking at you.

And love. Yarn blushed as he grumbled, “alright, i’ll be there,” and started looking for where he would teleport. You loved him. How?! How did you do that, when he’d been his usual abrupt self and had argued with Spirit most of the ride home and….and he hadn’t even really had a chance to thank you for not trying to touch him this whole time.

Even last night, before they’d put their pajamas on, he’d been worried about his bath and the magic solution. He couldn’t reach the ones on his back, but you’d said you’d help if he didn’t mind. If he didn’t mind? A human asking a bitty if they minded? Spirit had just shrugged and smiled when he’d looked to see if this was normal. For you, apparently it was.

Even with the swab in your hand, his shorts down below his hips and shirt off, you had said repeatedly, “If you ever feel uncomfortable with me doing this, we can stop. It isn’t my body, and if you have scars or not, I’m going to still want you to stay.”

That felt good. Feeling your concern and love flow through him felt good. Being someone’s bitty actually felt good and Yarn didn’t know how to handle that.

He was mostly silent as he ate his cereal (these weird little marshmallow shapes were amazing with the chocolate grain bits, another major plus of being in a house) and listened to you and Spirit talk.

“so you’re going to be out till two?” Spirit reconfirmed after you’d said your class schedule for the day.

“Yeah, just have my astronomy lecture and Logic Systems classes today, so I’ll be home by then,” you then turned your attention to him. “Yarn, are you going to be okay with me going to class today? I can miss them if you’d be more comfortable with me here.”

“what?” no, he didn’t mean to sound so irritated, he was just still very confused by someone being nice to him so fast, and when he hadn’t done anything for them. “I don’t nee-ee-eed you here. I’m not a baby bones. Besides, you paid for these stupid classes, you should take them.”

He knew how college worked, had lived on a campus for a while at one point…maybe even your campus now that he thought about it. It seemed far away but humans were much bigger and cars were a thing.

Your smile and the pulse of affection made him growl a little. No, stop looking so happy. You shouldn’t be happy about being yelled at. “Okay. I’ll leave lunch for you two in the mini fridge. That will be the monster food only one for today, too, so that should do you both good.”

As you got up, already dressed since you had to go early to catch the bus, you did a hand gesture at Spirit, who scoffed, “don’t get cocky, human. go make good choices for yourself.”

You giggled, then said very earnestly, “Have a good day, Yarn, and rest if you can. I’ll be sending good vibes to you all day.”

He just nodded. What else do you say to someone who is pumping out that much hope and wishes of healing? Specifically for YOU?

He still remembers the trip to the little monster specialty store on the way back from the shop.

You hadn’t bought monster food specifically when you’d gotten Spirit registered because you read that a Corrupted Nightmare gets their daily magic needs by absorbing the negative energy around them. But since you now had instructions otherwise, you were going to get some.

“Do you have any favorites, Yarn?” you’d asked, and he’d had to think.

“other than chocolate, there’s nothing I’ve had I really care for,” he’d answered, just staring at all he different kinds of food he could pick.

“We’ll get some monster chocolates as a treat, but I’ll get some more substantial stuff for the actual meals. Let’s think of three things we really want to try so we can have variety,” you were pushing a tiny cart around and looking as lost as Yarn felt. You didn’t just get him fixed, you were picking food specifically around what he wanted, and what he needed. Humans weren’t supposed to work like this! They were supposed to be selfish and stupid and bossy! Or scream at him or throw things or be disgusted….like everyone else acted around him.

Spirit looked at him from your other shoulder and said, “Yarn, you’re spiraling. Do I need to come over there and drain that?”

“no, don’t touch me,” he’d hissed instantly, but after a moment to be sure the Nightmare wasn’t really coming, he added, “thanks for the offer, though, I guess.”

Spirit didn’t even act normal for a Nightmare. Maybe a Nightmare with a Dream, but not a corrupted one. He’d said he’d been a service bitty when he’d asked why he’d offered to stay during the medical visit. Maybe that was it. The training to be a service bitty was supposed to be very thorough and not many shops even offered them. Nightmare and Dream pairs were practically made for those jobs. Not like him. He was made for chaos.

But the whole trip had been you making sure he liked what you picked up and Spirit either quipping to you or teasing him with playful kind of mischief.

Yarn shook himself pack to the present as he realized his bowl was empty. He’d just finished drinking all the chocolatey milk left behind and felt full. Wow what a weird feeling. It’d been weird last night after dinner, too. He usually only got to eat really well after a fresh hunt, and that was only once in a day.

“awfully quiet, friend,” Spirit said, a small smile on his placid face.

“I just do-o-o-on’t have anything to say,” Yarn rolled his eyes. “What do we do now that the human is gone and we’re alone?”

“we talk,” Spirit got up and magicked their bowls into the sink, “and we watch TV or pay on their video games until we get hungry again.”

“alright,” Getting up Yarn looked around, “first off, wha-a-a-at was that hand gesture they did?”

“American Sign Language,” Spirit teleported down to the floor and motioned for him to follow, “it means ‘I love you’ and it’s a way for them to tell me without saying it out loud. The speech makes it more powerful and lasts longer, so it’s more uncomfortable for me.”

Joining spirit on the floor, Yarn nodded, following as his companion made his way to the sofa, “reasonable enough. Where’d they learn it? isn’t siiiii-sign language for humans who don’t speak or hear well?”

“Their mother learned it somewhere and taught them when they were very young. They’ve been doing it since then and it was a natural solution for us,” Spirit zipped to the cushions far above and Yarn joined him.

“huh. humans pick the strangest things to learn.” Yarn watches as Spirit presses buttons on a strip of plastic and the TV turns on.

“since it’s your first day, you can pick what we watch. I assume you can read?” Spirit asked.

Looking at the humans cooking on the screen, Yarn nodded, already fascinated, “uh…y-y-y-yes. how do they do that?”

“what?”

“project themselves onto the screen?” Yarn was staring, eye lights darting around. “I know there aren’t bitty humans inside, it’s some sort of electronic device, but I caaaaaaaaaaaa-can’t figure out the exact way.”

“we can always look it up on our human’s laptop computer if you want?” Spirit seemed amused, and Yarn shook his head.

“no. I want to see how they ma-a-ake that goop into a cake.”

Spirit settled back into the sofa and nodded. This was very important research, after all.

\--

You could hardly wait as you sat on the bus home, counting the streets and grinning stupidly.

Your classmate, who lived in the complex next to yours, smiled, “You really love your bitties, huh?”

He was nice. You liked him and had it in mind to try and be in his group should a project arise. “Yeah, I do, and I really want to see how Yarn faired today.”

“Ah, the little error guy, right. I’m missing my snoozy dude, too, but I doubt he did more than sleep.” He had a Lil’ bro bitty at home, and that’s how you two had started talking. He’d noticed you looking up bity care things.

“Well, I hope Yarn did something similar, and knowing Spirit, he will too if he gets the chance,” you nod and feel your soul rush as you feel the bus slowing for your stop.

The two of you gather your things and get off, and he wishes you luck as he heads in. His complex is right next to the bus stop, but yours is a little walk down further. You run, barely stopping yourself as you stumble over a crack in the sidewalk, but still you’re excited.

Heading into the house, you look around as you say with gasps from your rush, “I’m home!”

Spirit oozes out from under the blanket on the couch, “huh?”

You grin, but keep looking, “Where’s Yarn?”

Spirit points a tendril at your bedroom and groans, trying to wake up. He must have been really asleep.

You head into the bedroom and see Yarn looking at Wikipedia on your laptop. “Hey, Yarn. I’m back.”

He jumped, turning to look at you, an almost crazed expression on his face, “human. youuuuuuu, you’re here. I’m not done lear-ar-ar-arning about your people.”

“Uh,” you look from the computer to Yarn, “Did you even stop to eat?”

“Spirit forced me, so ye-e-e-e-es,” Yarn gestures, “But there’s so much to learn! So many related topics!”

“Ooooh,” you understand now, “you fell down the Wikipedia rabbit hole.”

“I read about Alice in Wonderland already. Yes, that i-i-is accurate,” Yarn looks up at you, slowly calming down, “Um….so is thiiiiii-this a normal thing? to be sucked into a whirlwind of information?”

“Yep.” you started to reach for him but instantly pulled your hands back, “Oh shoot. Uh, sorry. I’m going to make food now, so come on and join us when you’re ready.”

Yarn nods, and as you’re fiddling with the stove you see him trudge out and flop down on his back to wait for the pasta you’re making.

“are you tired?” Spirit asks of the floor-bound bitty.

“yes.”

“do you wish you’d taken my advice and taken a nap instead of continuing to read?”

“yeeeee-yes.”

Chuckling, you just continued with your prep for tonight’s dinner.

\---

Several weeks later, Spirit was watching Yarn going through your bedroom as you sat on your bed, eyes wide. He was loving this.

“why do you haaaa-have this many used tissues?! Disgusting! And this is a bottle of something is three yea-ea-ears out of date! Throw it away!”

You just dutifully held the trash can and kept emptying it and replacing it with yet another plastic shopping bag.

This is exactly why Spirit had wanted Yarn here. Errors were hoarders of things THEY enjoyed, but when it came to anything else, they’d cut the fat very quickly. So while you were going to end up with smoothed out foil of various individual chocolates (Yarn already was using a Dove heart and a Hershey kiss as decorations for his nest) these useless items were going out the door.

Less clutter meant a happier human, but you would wince now and then as he threw away things you didn’t even remember having or hadn’t ever even been opened. He’d quickly magic those things out of the trash and hide them for you to go through on your own later unless it was expired food.

Yarn could only rampage for a little while though, still building his stamina back from his injury, and when he finally gave out, you found yourself relieved and Spirit was also very grateful. Yarn needed to rest, and so did you, so Spirit ushered you both to the living room.

Everything seemed fine, but as you walked he noticed your lips were turning blue, and your eyes were glazed….and then you dropped to the floor.

Yarn screeched and crashed, eyes fully blue with white text going across quickly, and that left Spirit to figure it out on his own.

“oh, oh no, no no no,” he wrapped a tendril around your wrist and waited, counting. “pulse normal, breathing, just….fainted. okay, um…..they haven’t said anything about diabetes, but could be low blood sugar anyway.” Going as fast as he can, Spirit scrambled into the fridge and pulled out a box of orange juice, getting a straw from your little clear container you used for them, and brought it over to your body.

As he looked you over again, your eyes opened slowly, and he sighed in relief.

“Spirit?” you were woozy, but he pushed the juice at you.

“drink this once you can sit up.” As you very gingerly made your way upright, Spirit went over to Yarn and began gently talking to him, “Yarn, you just got scared and crashed. Our human fainted, but we’re all safe. You’re alright, and still at home.”

Yarn’s eyes closed for a moment or two, then opened to his normal eye lights, “ugh, spirit, what happened?”

You stop sipping from the juice box and answer, “I must have forgotten to eat lunch. I’m really sorry. I’ve only ever done that one other time so I didn’t know what was happening.”

Spirit nodded as Yarn scrambled over, circling you an inch away before huffing and sitting in front of you, “human, don’t e-e-e-ever do that again. I’m going to use that throw away phone we found and text you every tiiiiiiiiii-time you’re away from us for a meal.”

“But it’s dead, Yarn, it doesn’t work….”

Checking something, Spirit let you and Yarn argue about reminding you to eat. Going back to the fridge, Spirit felt his tendrils slowly go limp. There was only the breakfast replacement shakes, milk, and the processed cheese sauce from the boxed pasta dinners you made. He hadn’t minded the food, it was much better than the scraps he got living on his own, and Yarn was in the same boat, but this was no way for a human to live.

Spirit looked back to where you were taking out the gloves you’d bought to hold Yarn with and sighed. He had to think of something….


	4. help quija?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spirit and Yarn decide what to do in light of your recent faint.

While their human was at class, Yarn and Spirit conferred.

“we have to do something,” Yarn agreed with Spirit as he looked at the near empty fridge. “my interrrrrrrr-net research had a lot of problems listed for humans with bad nutrition.”

“it’s not going to be easy on their limited budget,” Spirit’s tentacles were thrashing with how hard he was puzzling this out. “I don’t remember everything we were taught about diet balancing in service training…we might have to recruit someone from the store.”

“the one we went to for my bite?” Yarn asked, getting a nod in return, “w-w-w-w-well if you think we need to. But that’s going to take money our human doesn’t have, especially after my meeeeee-medical bills.”

“I’ve been filching human money for years living around here, Yarn,” Spirit used a shortcut to get to the top of the kitchen counter, “I have far too much in loose change and forgotten bills stored in my former nest. I just didn’t think we’d have to USE it so soon.”

“you were hooooo-holding out on us?” Yarn looks flummoxed, “the human freeeeee-freaks out over maybe ordering take out and you’re si-i-i-i-itting on money?!”

“I was hoping they’d learn to relax over small expenses. That’s something they do need to get used to,” he offered as Yarn came up with him. “and I don’t want them to think I’m pitying them or that they’re useless. They feel good when they can buy us things using the money they earn. It boosts their confidence that they’re a good caretaker for us.”

Grumbling a bit, Yarn went with Spirit above the cabinets and behind a fake plant up there to a hole leading into the walls, “well…I can see that log-og-ogic. They seem to need every boost we can afffffff-ford them.”

Spirit climbed up to another hole, closer to the attic space that was shared over all the apartments, and pulled out a wad of various bills. “we’ll count this, check the adoption prices, and if we can’t get someone there, we’ll look for a cheaper alternative.”

“if they sell bitties cheap, they’re probably not a great store, just saaaaa-saying,” Yarn interjects as they make their way back. Spirit just nods in acknowledgement; it’s a very true statement.

“we’ll avoid that option if we can. no shitty pet shops deserve my money or our human’s.”

Yarn helped him count the money, coming up with $231 in 20’s 10’s and various smaller bills. Knowing the amount, they rushed to the laptop and looked up the website for ‘their’ bitty store.

“looks like individual adoptions are three hun-un-undred,” Yarn read off. “then we’ll need clothes for him, so that’s another fifty or so….”

“we’ll get the money ourselves, don’t worry,” Spirit seemed very smug. “there are enough trust fund babies in this apartment complex that a few more missing twenties and tens won’t bother anyone. We wait for the weekend, when they’re drunk and stupid, then slip in and take their money. All well.”

Yarn chuckled, “you really are a ni-i-i-ightmare after all. I was beginning to wonder with how soft you are with y/n.”

Spirit just shrugged, “I suppose it’s true what they say about soulmates. You never expect to find them, and then they show up when you aren’t looking.”

“soul?!” Yarn almost crashes, but Spirit pulls him back with a boop and a quick drain.

“not that way, yarn. I mean it more the human way. Someone who matches you so perfectly you can’t imagine how you got on without them.”

“don’t scare me like that,” Yarn huffs, “we’ve got to-to-to-to share them, after all, I don’t wanna know what you’re thinking, thank you very much. my own mind is too busy already.”

“I suppose it would be. how’s the exposure training going?” Spirit thought it’d be polite to ask.

“pretty well…I think. I can tolllllllll-tolerate the gloves for a long time. I like the warmth of their hands through it.”

“that’s some progress. You were pretty antsy the first time,” Spirit was scrolling through the options at the store, then paused at one of the staff pictures before heading back to the top of the page to get the phone number. “let’s give them a call. I think we found our contact.”

\--

The phone rang at Spooks and Cutes, and Rogers answered, “Spooks and Cutes, bitties for the discerning, I’m Rogers, how can I help you?”

A strangely familiar voice said, “May I speak to Winston, please? I believe his expertise can help me in a certain matter.”

“Spirit? This you?”

A sigh, “yes, hello, rogers. Yarn and I would like to discuss something with your bitty.”

“Oh, sure. We have two lines, so you’re good. here ya go,” the bottle blonde young man handed the receiver to a Fellswap Sans bitty who was watching him curiously, “Phone for ya, sir.”

Winston, the bitty in question, huffed and answered, “THIS IS WINSTON. WHAT IS IT YOU REQUIRE, MR. SPIRIT.” He’d been…indisposed, when this particular regular entered the scene, but his human had told him enough about the situation.

Spirit’s tendrils curled together in satisfaction at getting what he wanted, “yes, I need some help in the department of bitty dispositions. Could you tell me which bitty would be best to help a human learn to eat properly and healthily?”

Snorting, Winston leaned against the register, “WELL, KNOWING WHO’S ASKING, I WON’T BOTHER SUGGESTING THE TYPICAL ANSWER OF A PAPY OR BABY BLUE. THEY ARE RATHER GOOD AT IT, BUT THEY WOULDN’T FIT WITH YOU AND YOUR ERROR COMPANION.”

“not our huuuuu-human either,” Yarn chimed in, “they’re too anxious for someone that active and loud, and they’re an introvert.”

“UGH,” Winston sighed, rubbing his sockets, “THEN I CAN’T RECOMMEND MY TYPE OR A BOSS EITHER. BESIDES, IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME FOR EITHER OF US TO GET USED TO OUR HUMAN ENOUGH TO BE DELICATE IF NEEDED, SO THAT WOULD BE MORE DAMAGING THAN HELPFUL.”

“what does that leave us, though, Winston?” Spirit and Yarn were looking a little worried, glancing at each other. “I want my human to get their proper nutrition but I’m unfortunately not able to recall that part of my service training. Is there any other type that could help us?”

Thinking for a moment, Winston asks, “IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE SELECTION OR THE COOKING OF FOOD?”

“selection.”

“THEN I HAVE YOUR ANSWER. A HORROR SANS TYPE WILL ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO SELECT THE BEST FOOD, AND MOST OF OURS HAVE GOTTEN USED TO A VARIED AND HEALTHY DIET FOR ANYONE, HUMAN OR MONSTER. YOU’D HAVE TO COME SEE THEM AND PICK THE SPECIFIC BITTY, BUT BEING A NIGHTMARE, I KNOW YOU’LL MAKE THE BEST CHOICE FOR YOUR PURPOSES. I DO HAVE TO ASK,” Winston was almost hesitant, but it was something he had to know, as a shop bitty, “IS YOUR HUMAN AWARE YOU TWO ARE LOOKING FOR A NEW FAMILY MEMBER? OR DID SOME ISSUE OF THEIRS PROMPT THIS AND YOU’RE BEING PREEMPTIVE?”

“they fai-ai-ainted from forgetting to eat and not having a good diet,” Winston nodded as Yarn glitched at him, looking over at the pen where the Horror sans’ were now staring since they’d been mentioned. “spirit’s got enough cash from his street collecting to paaaaaaa-pay for most of it and we’ll scrounge the rest. Think of it as a surprise for-or-or them. Halloween present, maybe.”

That made him laugh, “MWHAHAHA, WELL, IN THAT CASE, I ANTICIPATE SEEING YOU ON YOUR NEXT CHECK UP, YARN. SPIRIT AND I WILL DO THE INTERVIEWS AND YOU CAN MAKE FINAL APPROVAL WITH YOUR CARETAKER, HM?” Rogers was quirking a brow at him, but Winston waved him off. “I’LL BE DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH MYSELF TO MAKE IT EASIER. TAKE CARE, BOTH OF YOU.”

When the line went dead, Winston handed the phone back to Rogers.

“What was all that about interviews and new family members and food?”

“THEIR HUMAN IS INCAPABLE OF CURRENTLY MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES IN FOOD FOR THEMSELVES. BEING STREET BITTIES, I’M ASSUMING THEY EITHER CAN’T REMEMBER OR DON’T KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY FEED A HUMAN, SO THEY’RE WANTING A HORROR TO HELP THEM OUT.” Winston leaned over the counter to dig in a drawer behind it, triumphantly retrieving a bitty sized pencil and note pad. “I’M GOING TO GO INFORM THE CANDIDATES ABOUT THE SITUATION AND SEE IF WE CAN’T GET SOME VOLUNTEERS OR AT LEAST ASSESS WHO COULD DO THE MOST GOOD WITH A LITTLE STUDY.”

“And their owner’s not in on it? This could go very badly, Win, I dunno.”

Patting the human’s arm condescendingly (but also reassuringly) Winston’s heels clicked on the counter as he walked over to the little walkway that connected to the wall, running the length of the shop and around all the tanks so bitties could investigate and visit. “YOU WORRY TOO MUCH. YOU SAID THEIR HUMAN IS VERY MEEK AND DEFERRS TO SPIRIT OFTEN, YES?”

“Yeah?”

“THEN THEY WILL MOST LIKELY TRUST HIS JUDGEMENT ABOUT NEEDING A NEW COMPANION. ALSO, APPARENTLY THEY HAVE AN….ANONYMOUS DONOR WILLING TO PAY THE FEES FOR IT,” Winston’s wicked smile made Rogers a little nervous, but he took a deep breath and nodded. He wasn’t going to question his bitty too much. Winston had helped him out more than once without saying much, and he knew a Raspberry like him would be insulted if doubted too often.

Seeing the acceptance of his plan, Winston ran down the walkway, “JUST LEAVE THIS TO ME!” He was excited and more than happy to do this. Finally, a job worthy of his status and experience.

\--

You’d been mostly shopping at the mixed monster and human grocery store since you’d realized monster food was relatively cheap and the prices on everything at this store were much more reasonable than the big chain stores.

Even with your very tight budget, you managed to get your milk, boxed pasta, and bread without much fuss, but you were surprised when your bitties didn’t ask for extras like they usually would. Instead, this time, both Yarn and Spirit were intently scanning the shelves, asking to look at various boxes and bags but then putting them back.

“Is there something wrong, guys?” you ask, wondering what this new strangeness was about.

“we’re trying to keeeee-keep you from dusting,” Yarn states flatly. “I don’t appreciate having to ha-a-a-a-ave nightmares about my human Falling Down for good because they forgot to eat.”

They were still worried about that? Your heart stung from knowing how badly you’d worried them.

Spirit rolls his eye light, a tendril pulling the hood of Yarn’s coat up and over his face, “we’re working on that, though, aren’t we? Yes. but we’re having a hard time understanding these nutrition labels.”

You nod, looking at the box of graham crackers you had up in the basket with your eggs, “I know how to read them only through trial and error and learning it in school.” The black and white box makes you frown, “Ridiculously complicated, though, I do see that.”

The rest of the trip is you explaining each line on the box to them and what the percentages mean while you pick up the last few things on your list. Your poor bitties almost melt with how much information this one little thing was supposed to hold, but you can tell they’re trying, even when Yarn makes screechy dial-up internet sounds in frustration.

Just another reminder that they love you and care for you, and another reason your heart feels so warm when they fall asleep, Spirit on your shoulder and Yarn against your hand where he’d been holding your gloved fingertip, while watching Spirited Away that night.

\--

When the three of you entered the bitty shop for Yarn’s third check up, you were surprised to see a bitty standing on Rogers’ shoulder.

“I didn’t realize you had a bitty, too,” you say softly after the chipper boy greets you. “Hello to you, as well. I’m Spirt and Yarn’s human.”

The well dressed (immaculate magenta dress shirt, buttoned all the way up and crisply pressed black slacks over shiny brown shoes) bitty smiles with the sharp teeth of a Fell subtype and nods, his eye lights shining strongly as he looks you over, despite the three lines of scar over his right socket. “IT’S NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU. YOU AND YOUR BITTIES ARE QUITE THE STORY AROUND HERE. YOU MAY CALL ME WINSTON, AFTER THE FAMOUS AND WELL-SPOKEN CHURCHILL.”

Winston bowed to you, and you inclined slightly back, making Yarn laugh at you for being silly. “An impressive name, Winston. May I ask what type of bitty you are?”

He nodded, teleporting down to the counter and walking over as Roger beamed, clearly proud of his companion, “I AM WHAT IS CALLED A RASPBERRY, A FELLSWAP SANS VARIANT. WE DO OFFER OTHERS OF MY KIND HERE, BUT, AS MAGNANIMOUS A HUMAN AS YOU ARE REPORTED TO BE, I THINK THE HARSH TREATMENT BEFORE ONE OF OURS WOULD GET USED TO YOU WOULD NOT BE ADVISABLE, ESPECIALLY SEEING HOW TIGHTLY BONDED YOU ARE TO YOUR CURRENT BITTIES. THEY’D MOST LIKELY ATTACK THE POOR FELLOW FOR INSULTING YOU.”

You nod, smiling, deciding to voice your observations, “You’re quite eloquent, Winston. Thank you so much for the information. Could I ask you to help me, though, if I end up rescuing someone from your line? At least to keep him safe?” You know you’d rescue any kind of bitty if they needed you. This is preparation for that, just in case.

A soft, surprisingly fond chuckle comes from the rigid bitty, “YOU’RE EVERYTHING THE RUMORS SAY, DEAR. OF COURSE I WOULD. AS A SHOP BITTY, IT WOULD BE MY DUTY AND HONOR TO AID YOU.”

Rogers seems pleased with the exchange, “Now that you’ve met the General, you should get Yarn to that appointment.”

Spirit teleported out, next to Winston, “I’ll stay here, if it’s all the same. I’ve seen enough medical care for a healthy bitty.”

Nodding, you said a happy goodbye to Winston and Rogers, heading into the back where Janet was waiting for you.

\--

“NOW THAT I’VE MET THEM, YES, I CAN SAFELY SAY YOUR PLAN AND REASONING ARE BOTH SOUND. THAT HUMAN IS A RARITY AMONG THEIR KIND,” Winston stood at attention beside Spirit. “NOW, IF YOU’D BE SO KIND TO FOLLOW ME TO THE TANKS, I’LL LET YOU MEET THE CANDIDATES. WE ONLY HAVE 3 HORRORS THAT COULD MEET YOUR NEEDS, AS A GOOD NUMBER OF THOSE HERE HAVE A BROTHER AND THUS WOULD ADD TOO MUCH TO YOUR HOUSEHOLD.”

Spirit nodded and followed where Winston led, walking quickly through the bitty walkways until Winston jumped down into one of the tanks. Landing beside him, Spirit looked around. Bitties here were clearly treated well, if the many soft chairs and entertainment items were anything to go by. Several snaggle-toothed Papyrus bitties were busy constructing a house out of cardboard and decorating it in the far corner, while what Spirit assumed were their matched brothers watched in fond amusement. The love here was a little nauseating, literally, but it was far enough away Spirit could stand it.

“NOW, VOLUNTEERS!” Winston called, and three of the Sans types not watching the construction left their places and came forward. “THIS IS THE NIGHTMARE I WAS DISCUSSING WITH YOU. SPIRIT, TELL THEM A BIT ABOUT YOUR OWNER.”

Surveying each of the bitties before him, Spirit gave a bit of a smile, “promising. Anyway, my human is much more of a charge than an owner. They have very few rules, mainly just not fighting if possible, and are in need of care. They’re a college student, highly anxious and depressed, and once in my experience forgot to eat for so long they passed out. they don’t know how to eat in a healthy way, only getting a very limited number of pre-packaged things to try and save money. That’s where one of you will come in. I want someone whose entire job, other than being a cohesive member of our family team, is to make sure my human eats properly to maintain their health.”

The three bitties, single red eye lights fixed on Spirit, then turn to each other. The one in the center asks, looking a bit wary, “how do we know they’re not going to eat fine themselves and then starve us?”

Spirt nodded, “good question. Yarn, the Error who is the other member of our team, and I are both street bitties. We lived on our own quite well until our human was found. I joined first, having been feeding off their negativity up until they began to harm themselves with their distress. Yarn I recruited by force, but he was nearly dead and our human gladly gave of their limited resources to keep him alive and happy.”

“YARN IS CURRENTLY IN THE BACK GETTING CHECK UPS FOR THE DOG BITE THAT NEARLY ENDED HIS LIFE,” Winston added, “THESE ARE EXTREMELY TOUGH AND POWERFUL BITTIES. I DOUBT THEY’D BOTHER CLAIMING A HUMAN WITHOUT FINDING THEM WORTHY. I ALSO JUST EVALUATED THEM MYSELF. THEY ARE QUITE THE CATCH OF AN OWNER, EVEN AS SOMEONE WHO IS HAPPY WITH THEIR OWN. YOU DON’T SEE A BRAVERY SOUL SO OPEN AND WITH A KINDNESS SUB-TYPE.”

That made the horrors surprised, and the one on the left asked, “so what would we be doing, exactly? Not sure if it’s a job I could sink my teeth into if I don’t know what it is.” The pun was a good sign, and Spirit took it as such.

“you would either know already or be willing to study human nutritional needs, then, through either force or tact, convince them to begin buying better foods for themselves. being bittys, we’re taken care of with the monster food they already buy, now it is their turn. I’d prefer the tact, if at all possible. I know you all enjoy humor, and our human finds it endearing. They will listen to your jokes with gladness. You could probably use that to your favor in giving them a shopping list.”

Some nods from the horrors, and the final one, the one who had never taken his eye off Spirit this entire time, asked in an incredibly soft voice, though still rough and dangerous in the right tone, “and what about you and this yarn character? You’d really let someone like us into your home? Near your human, when we’re known for being more than a handful?”

Spirit chuckled, “oh, that’s the best part. You see, they trust me implicitly. I’m the one who makes the final say on whether you enter our team or not; the human is my charge and I’m the service bitty over their care. So it’s not them you need to worry about. It’s me.” His tendrils sharpen and his teeth follow suit, “and if you DARE to try anything, you’ll be dust before you can blink. They are MINE and you work under ME.”

Winston cleared his throat, and Spirit glanced over before returning to his usual appearance. “but you’re right, Winston. I shouldn’t threaten. They mean the world to me and the idea of them being hurt is….more than unsettling. My apologies.”

Two of the horrors seemed put off, huffing or simply walking away. But the center one stayed. “so you’re saying we get a human who’d be affectionate, two powerful allies in keeping the house and the food safe, and an actual purpose. Where we’d be the one who got to manage it? learn about it? and it’s related to food, too?” He grinned a little maniacally, “count me in, brother.”

Nobody had called Spirit that since his Dream, and he froze, tendrils going limp before Winston spoke, “SPIRIT CALLED IT A TEAM, HORROR BITTY, SO MAYBE TEAMMATE OR SOME FORM OF BOSS WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE.”

Seeing the reaction, the Horror nodded, “right. sorry, chief. This is a new dynamic for us shop bitties. We usually get more of the family stuff.”

Coming back to himself, Spirit nodded, “understandable….i came from a shop once, too, so i….i understand. Come, we’ll wait at the front for my human to sign the papers. I’ll put in some words for you, but you will be the deciding factor. If you meet them and don’t want to join after that, I won’t be offended.”

They all three teleported onto the bitty walk and the horror scratched at the massive hole in the left side of his skull, “nah. This sounds like a perfect place to me. I ended up with the science obsession sansys usually have, and food science is just my deal. this is my dream job.”

“should I suggest a science based name, then, when they ask for it?” Spirit was walking near his new ‘friend’ and seemed interested.

“yeah, if you don’t mind, chief.” The horror turned his head, surprisingly mellow for his group, “never seen the outside world, so might ask you some things, but otherwise I’ll do my own thing. they take good care of us here, so I won’t try shit. still, should keep the knives locked up just as a caution. It’s knife to have a new home but it would be cutting to have a night terror and mess that all up.”

Nodding, Spirit filed that information away for later. “I read your type advice several times in several different places. Yarn and I have prepared for your arrival.”

“good to know,” the small scientist replied, hands in his hoodie pockets. “so…what kinda movies they like?”

Winston listened as Mage described you, grinning in the front of the little parade. This was going to work out, he just knew it. This particular Horror had never volunteered for adoption before, never even seemed interested in it, but when he heard it was going to be a job rather than just a family, that had gotten him in. He’d been rather concerned that this Horror would never find a family, but it was a good thing his concerns were groundless.

Spirit himself was reassured. An analytical, subdued Horror was much better than the hectic, uncontrolled aggression he’d been warned to watch for. This one had found something to channel that energy into, and it was perfect for their team. And, selfishly, he liked being called “chief”. Handing the fees for the adoption to Rogers was priceless, the human floundering open mouthed as he put it under the table. He refused to ring it up until the human approved, which was expected.

The Horror kept glancing at the clinic door, soul fluttering up and down in emotion as he waited for you to return. Would you accept him? What were you really like? What kind of jokes would he need to gently push you into taking care of yourself? He’d expected, when he and the other Horrors in his batch were being informed after their ‘birth’ at the factory, that he’d be doing that kind of thing for a brother, but no. He’d never found another bitty that he could feel that way about. Now he was going to be gently prodding a human to listen to science and eat well. What a weird way his life was turning out. It was kind of exciting.

\--

You didn’t understand what had happened when you came back with Yarn and found Winston, Spirit, and a little bitty with a huge hole in his skull sitting together on the counter.

“Uh, someone has gifted you this Horror bitty, y/n” Rogers explained, seeming uncertain about whatever had occurred.

“What?!” you look at the little bitty, who waves, but the usual skeleton smile is a curious frown on his face, seeming like he’s studying you. “I….what do you mean gifted?”

Winston picked the conversation up “A BENEFACTOR, WHO PREFERS TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS, LEFT INSTRUCTIONS AND FUNDS TO PAY FOR THE ADOPTION OF AND A WEEKS WORTH OF CLOTHING FOR THIS FINE HORROR BITTY, AND THAT HE IS YOURS IF YOU SO DESIRE.”

Looking at Spirit, he smiles, “I’ve been talking to him, and I think he’d fit perfectly in the house.”

Yarn teleports next to Spirit and looks the new bitty over, “yea-a-a-ah, he seems cool to me. I have no problem with it.”

How do you answer this? This is a tiny sentient being, who has just been given to you like a new teddy bear. You don’t know anything about Horror bitties! How will you care for him? Does he not want touch like Yarn or have issues like Spirit? What-

Your thoughts are cut off as the hand you had near the counter is pulled into a grip by the new bitty, “hey, human.” He’s holding your pointer finger and looking right at you, “don’t worry about it. we’re pretty independent, horrors. Mostly ya just feed us, love us, don’t hurt us. Easy as pie, right? a real slice of life kinda deal.”

The puns catch up to you and you giggle, changing that little frown into a smile, his big red eye light brightening. “Well….since the boys are okay, and you’ll have clothes and things…I don’t see why not. Do you have a name picked out?”

“nah, but I like science, so something in that genre would be appreciated,” he kept holding your finger, and you found your heart melting. Whoever had picked this little guy for you really understood what made you happy.

“How about Tesla?” that was the first scientist you could think of, since everyone had been ridiculing the car company named after him recently.

“that’s great, that’s the big electric coil guy, right? invented rc vehicles?” the bitty grinned wider as you nodded, “awesome. You won’t regret this, human, not at all.” you swore you could feel something inside his ribcage pulse as he leaned his forehead against your wrist.

Winston pushed some papers to you and had a very devious smile, “JUST SIGN THESE AND TESLA IS ALL YOURS. I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF MOSTLY FILLING THEM OUT FOR YOU.”

So, still bemused and more than a little worried about the situation, you sign on the dotted line and have Winston help you and Tesla pick out outfits for your new friend.

\--

Tesla was beyond happy. They were right, he could feel it. Even though everyone else in the house was already asleep, and he was in his new (so soft~) pajamas, he couldn’t sleep.

Dashing off after a small shortcut to the floor, he ran out of the bedroom and to the living room, where the human was charging their phone. He’d use the computer, but that was large and in the bedroom, thus would wake up his new housemates.

Tesla’s little boney fingers zipped around, unlocking the phone easily after seeing the password only twice during the time he’d been here. Okay, human nutrition, easy to look up. Start with Wikipedia, use the sources at the bottom to get more info.

This was his chance, he was going to make sure he did the best job he could. The human had agreed to take him home, and he could feel the thin thread of energy from their soul already attaching to him in a family bond. And family was everything to a Horror. Yarn had laughed at his dark jokes on the way home, Spirit seemed to like them, too, so he felt very accepted by everyone. The fridge had been shown to him, as well as the pantry, and he could take whatever he wanted.

However, he didn’t want anything right now. He was a little more than unsettled at how little fresh produce was in the house (none) and even the dry goods were mostly sugary cereals lacking in nutrients or plain pasta, crackers, and the like. There weren’t that many sweets though, that was a relief, just the chocolate he knew belonged to Yarn (the bitty had warned him not to touch his stash and Tesla had agreed) and a few peanut butter cups.

No, it wouldn’t be simple, but Tesla was going to do research and he would make SURE Spirit didn’t regret choosing him. He would get their human healthy as quickly (and gently) as possible.


	5. Electro magnetism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the new family dynamics

You woke up slowly, since it was fall break and you didn’t have any homework left.

Spirit was surprisingly alone in his bed, and you knew Tesla wouldn’t have gone to sleep with Yarn in his nest after all the “no touch” rules were explained. Your new bitty had vanished.

Getting up, you pad cautiously into the living room and find him, sitting on the couch cushions and curled around your phone. He turns when the floor creaks under your feet, and his hazy eye light blinks tiredly at you. “hey, human. it time to get up?”

“Yeah, but were you up all night?” you sit on the floor next to the couch just to be more on his level.

“have to earn my spot, don’t i?” he chuckled tiredly and exited out of the article he’d been reading. “wouldn’t be much of a scientist if I didn’t do my research.”

When you offer your hand, he almost falls into it, movements slow and clumsy from exhaustion. “Tesla, you don’t have to push yourself to do something. You don’t have to earn anything; you deserve to be here simply because we all agreed you belong. So don’t worry, please.”

“mmn” the edges of his skull opening scritch across your palm as he nuzzles in, “if you say so. Mind if I nap on ya till breakfast?”

“I don’t mind at all,” you smile, bringing him close to your chest and slipping him into the shirt pocket on your pajamas. “just take it easy and I’ll wake you up later, little night owl.”

He hums in agreement, and you feel him curl against your chest before soft breaths even into a sleeping rhythm. Your heart melts a little at how sweet Tesla is, and promise yourself to make sure you look into how to make Horror bitties happy so you can make him feel welcome enough not to pull all-nighters anymore. That’s your job; you’re the human in college.

\---

The human cuddled him. That was so nice.

Tesla slept until breakfast (scrambled eggs with some milk, magic powder sprinkled over the top so it could be nutritious for them), then napped a little longer while the rest of the household watched TV. He felt so safe in their little shirt pocket, hearing their heartbeat, feeling them breathe.

With everything he’d read last night, he’d have a lot of work to do, but that was fine. He was so grateful to Spirit for picking him and to the human for going along with it, there was pretty much nothing he wouldn’t do for them.

Yarn was distant, but they both laughed at morbid jokes and he thought he could get along with him fine. Hopefully he could do his job. He wanted to do his job, so much. He wanted to feel this safe for a long time, and he couldn’t if his human got sick.

\--

“I’m taking my change out of the old nest,” Spirit said as he headed toward the kitchen, “something’s been messing about in there and I don’t want rats or squirrels or something to get in here.”

“normally,” Tesla said as he looked through an online version of a nutrition textbook, “I’d offer to kill it for you, but that’s just my instinct. I know I can’t actually fight something wild.”

“yeah, as fu-u-u-un as that sounds, I’d rather not touch a dirty animal. But I’ll help you get the cash out. human’s got a decorative piggy bank we could fill up with it,” Yarn followed Spirit, and, not wanting to be left out, Tesla hopped up and followed after.

The trio of bitties entered the high hole that served as Spirit’s door, and clambered to his nest. Insulation and scraps of cloth were shoved about to make a small nest, with various piles of coins nearby. Some of the piles had clearly been disturbed, and with all three of them they made quick work of the stash, moving it into the bank that looked more like a star shaped mylar balloon than a pig.

“did you really steal all of this?” Tesla asked as they inserted the last of it into the slot.

“yes. well, I stole some of it but the rest I found while foraging and scrounging, dropped in parking lots and on sidewalks. Humans don’t pay attention to what’s at their feet often, so it was easy to gather,” Spirit gave the bank a pat, grinning at how heavy and full it sounded.

“I never bothered with money,” Yarn shrugged, “but it is useful now that we’re in a team for the human.”

“speaking of,” Tesla headed back to the kitchen, “we need to cover up that hole if you don’t want that creature getting in here.”

“huh….” Spirit nodded, “yeah, we should do that. does the human have any construction supplies?”

“probably not,” Yarn used his strings to drag Tesla back, “let’s find some cardboard or something to just stick over it before we go back up there?”

“okay.” Tesla didn’t mind being ‘stringed’ along. Hehehe

\--

The rest of your semester seemed to fly by.

Halloween was fun, the boys getting surprisingly into the spirit as they embraced being surrounded by witches, ghosts, and frankensteins. They were understandably against any skeletons hanging around though.

“uh, friend,” Tesla had posited after you asked why, “would you like being around naked plastic humans?” He was the most straightforward of your bitties, most willing to explain things to you and surprisingly patient. He’d also become your shoulder buddy, on the opposite side from Spirit. It made you grin thinking about them as your shoulder angel and shoulder devil, but they just didn’t fit a devil, either of them. No, your bitties were much too sweet to you for any of them to be seen as evil in any fashion.

They were all fairly modest, too, now that you thought about it, except with each other. They would protest if you ever tried to go into the bathroom while they were bathing, but didn’t mind sitting in the sink with each other like a bitty-sized hot tub (you’d had to go to the bathroom RIGHT THEN and had no choice but to disturb them). You guessed it was a skeleton thing, not minding a bath with your family, a cultural difference. Or maybe it was a bitty thing???? you didn’t know.

You also noticed that Tesla, out of all three of them, was the most affectionate in his words. Instead of “human”, Tesla called you friend, pal, or buddy. This was a normal thing for Sans type bitties, but instead of the ironic bite (haha) you expected with Tesla being a Horror, instead it was genuine. You’d done your research once you’d got him home, but found most of the prep done for you, and some of the warnings just never came to pass. In fact, instead of hoarding food, Tesla was far more likely to insist on YOU having more than him.

Grocery trips were now strictly listed items, and Tesla made the list. He printed out recipes, installed an app on your phone to track your nutrition, and would reward you for choking down vegetables with puns and jokes. Vegetables were disgusting, no matter what you did with them, but you knew your diet was worrying your bitties, so you were working on it. They deserved to have a healthy caretaker, even if you had to cry to get through some meals. Spirit at least would help you then.

Now it was Finals week, Thursday afternoon and you had just come home. Your text to your family that you were safe and the boys were, too, had been sent, and you were so thankful to be done. You’d made it through testing, even if you’d almost missed an 8 o’clock one on Monday.

Tesla was on your chest, and Spirit covered your head with his body and tendrils, petting and taking the last of your stress away, “you did well, human.”

As expected, the hoarse little voice from your chest added, “proud of you, pal. you worked real hard and got through it. no bones about it, you’re the best.”

Yarn had hold of your shirt, having gotten to the point that any cloth between your skin and him was enough to be comfortable, “so what do we do now that you don’t have schoooooo-school?”

OH.

Blinking, you groan, “We go back to my family’s home for the holidays.”

“the people you call everyyyyyyy-day?”

“Yep. And that means we have to drive for two hours,” your stomach clenched, the dread climbing in deep.

Spirit held tighter to your scalp, “why does that make you so nervous? You drive us to the stores often.”

“It’s different when it’s so long. I can deal with fifteen minutes of driving to get around the shops and back but…” You take deep breaths, feeling Yarn and Tesla both patting you gently. “There are big trucks on the highway and I’ve never been able to handle it well.”

His tendrils stroking your hair, Spirit reminded you, “but you won’t be alone now. We’ll be in the carrier right beside you and we don’t mind if you take breaks when you need to.”

“especially to eat,” Tesla added, grinning. You stroke the little cutie’s back and he purrs.

“I don’t think I’ll need to do that, since I’ll just leave after breakfast tomorrow, but thanks for thinking about it,” you smile a bit, glad you have three very responsible bitties who care about you.

Yarn climbs up the couch back to be more on your level, “don’t expect us to just siiiiii-sit back and watch you stress, though. swear to me you’ll sto-o-op if we ask you to. For your own sake.”

“I promise, Yarn,” you state, happy. “Getting back into the flow is tough for me, but I’ll stop if you guys think I need to.”

That seemed to appease the lot of them, and you relaxed again. You’d get home, and you could finally let your new family meet the rest of it.

\--

Spirit decided he hated cars.

Not for anything the vehicle itself had done, but simply because of how TERRIFIED his human seemed to be of them. He’d had to drain them almost constantly on the drive to their home, and the last 30 minutes of the drive he hadn’t had the room to do so anymore. He was only a bitty, he couldn’t convert that much panic into liquid magic without hurting himself. It had tormented all three of them to see their owner sobbing as they finally made it into their hometown.

It was small, only one stop light at the intersection of the only two business streets, and old buildings with dates on the tops. 1902, 1907, these years were so far back that the bitties were in awe. This town was a hundred years old before monsters had ever left the mountain, before they were even a fragment of magic. The street they came down was mostly restaurants off the highway, then the school and then antique stores. Yarn especially wanted to see inside those stores. What sorts of treasures were in a place that sold antiques?

Tesla looked at the colorful paint jobs as they turned from the main road, heading into the housing area. Pastels, primary yellow, the soft beige brick of a funeral home, it was all interesting to him. The streets were quiet, most of the cars he saw were parked in the driveways, and the leaves were gone from the trees this late in December. Lights were hung on most of the houses, getting ready for Christmas (or Gyftmas, Tesla wasn’t sure) and their human was much more at ease. Their tears had dried, and they turned with confidence onto more streets, threading deeper into the nest of homes.

Finally, the car pulled into a driveway, and a soft yellow home filled all the windows as a garage door opened, “Welcome home, guys,” their human said quietly, voice still clogged with tears. It always took them a while to get over crying. When the lid of their travel carrier was opened, Tesla teleported to their shoulder instantly, nuzzling their cheek, “let’s go in and get you a snack. You earned some peanut butter after all that.”

That made you laugh. Tesla loved peanut butter and that was his idea of a great reward.

As soon as you got out of the car, your mother was hugging you tight, “Welcome back! We missed you so much!”

“Mama….” You couldn’t help tearing up again. College was your first time being away from your mother for more than a night, and it was hard.

Spirit and Yarn were on top of the car now, watching. Tesla held onto your shirt and hid in your neck, almost squished against you by your mother’s arm, and it made his teammates snicker. Once she backed off, the older woman gasped, “Oh! I didn’t see him, I’m sorry. This is…Tesla right?”

Your poor mother had a bad memory, but she was always trying so hard, “Yes, that’s him. Say hi to my mom.”

“hi,” Tesla just stared, not too sure what to think. This woman was new, and he didn’t know if he liked new very much.

Spirit went to your other shoulder and continued the introductions, “I’m spirit. Your child has been doing an excellent job in the time I’ve known them. You should be proud.”

Yarn just huffed, tapping his foot on the car, “and I’m yarn, now can we plea-ea-ea-ease get the carrier so I can get out of here without craaaa-crashing?”

Your mom squeaked and quickly bustled around to the other side, grabbing the carrier out of your passenger seat and taking your bags out of the back without even asking. She always was like this, helping you to the extreme as often as she could.

Sighing, you just gather what you can as you and your bitties head to your old bedroom to settle in for the few weeks till the start of spring semester.

\--

It wasn’t a terrible holiday, all things considered. It was much like any other, but you felt…. different. You felt bad, mostly, about having to divide your attention between your family and you bitties. Your routine was entirely off, and there weren’t any of the supplies in your mother’s house for you to continue the healthy eating path that Tesla had put you on. It was just…your favorite things instead. And you couldn’t tell you family you didn’t want those, because you DID, and then….

Ugh.

And Spirit was on edge the whole time because of the return of all your anxiety from before college. He was angry because just being in this town put you on edge, getting out made you worse, and staying in made you sad. He didn’t understand how you could love your family and be intensely stressed by them at the same time and you couldn’t explain it because each member of your family stressed you differently.

Yarn just hid the whole time because he refused to be touched and your young nieces and nephews were very physically affectionate. You didn’t blame him.

And you knew your grandparents were a little disturbed by the looks of your bitties. They loved you, they loved how the boys treated you, but being rural people from the generations long before monsters, seeing a living skeleton was unnerving for them, especially your sweethearts with their dark bones or head injuries. It…hurt. You loved your family dearly, but seeing them react less than enthusiastically to your bitties was a blow. And their loud, boisterous conversations were too much for Tesla, their shifting moods too much for Spirit, and their touch too much for Yarn, so you ended up sitting in on things alone.

You got gifts, as the only unmarried grandkid you got more than your married cousins and siblings, and to your relief, so did your bitties. Your male cousin’s wife thought it was stupid, getting gifts for ‘pets’, but you only found out while you were in the bathroom and she called it out indignantly while scolding your grandfather for wasting money that way. Anger swirled in your chest, making you want to cry out, to go confront her, but…you just couldn’t. You weren’t as good as your cousins, or their spouses. You were broken, mentally and physically, and no one wanted you. You were a failure of a human being…and seeing everyone who had succeeded in the same room just rubbed it in.

The highway was almost a welcome thing when you had to face it again…you just wish your mother could have come with you, but your grandparents were elderly, and she was their only surviving child.

\--

You had to stop halfway home, at a rest stop off the highway, just a bathroom and some benches. But you cried, and all your bitties comforted you.

“easy, friend,” Tesla cooed, warm little bones on your cheek as he stroked it gently and cleared the tears away, “You’re half done already. just one more hour. Just rest as long as you need. Drink some water, maybe.”

Spirit was on your other shoulder, holding tight and shushing you softly. He’d been so upset with your family that he’d been silent the whole drive, but now he was just whispering. “you need this release of pressure, human. just cry. It’s alright to cry, to not be okay. you’re okay.”

Yarn sat in front of you on the dashboard, looking shaky and helpless for a moment before huffing, “I’m going to the roof to get some air…do some knitting. Still need to finish your gyftmas present.”

A watery laugh left you at that, bringing you just a bit out of your despair.

\--

Yarn worked feverishly, finger knitting as he’d learned to do from videos on your phone. He was going to make you this stupid headband if it killed him. It would have his magic in it, being made from his thread, and that would make sure you would always feel like he was there, in a good protective way because that’s how he feels making this. He wants to do more for you than just help you keep the house clean. He wants to be as good for you as Tesla and Spirit, even if he still hasn’t been able to touch you skin to bone.

He was so focused on his threads that it took a moment before he sensed that he wasn’t alone.

There, running from the grassy area toward the car, was a ragged bitty, a red scarf fluttering as he escaped….oh shoot that was a wild dog!

Putting away his knitting, Yarn stomped on the car, “guys! a bitty’s getting chased by a dog out here!”

Spirit and Tesla teleport onto the roof with him, Tesla yelling, “stay inside, pal! we can handle this.”

As the bitty and the dog came closer, Spirit spoke, “Tesla, use your bones on my signal. Yarn, when the bitty’s close enough, pull him in with your strings. I’ll try and use my powers to make the dog run away once it’s close enough.”

The boys nodded, and you were watching, scared for the bitty and your boys, as well as yourself since dogs were a big fear of yours.

Being a unit for so long in caring for their human, your bitties worked like a well oiled machine. The moment Spirit said, “now!” Tesla slammed a wall of bones up between the dog and the bitty, causing the mutt to yelp as it ran into the blue bones.

The bitty kept dashing, and as soon as he was near enough, Yarn’s strings flung out and wrapped him up drawing him upward and depositing him gently on the roof as Spirit hissed, tendrils whipping as he projected fear and danger outward. The dog continued its yelping as it turned tail and ran, going back to the woods with a quickness.

The bitty on the car was panting, clothes simply rags and covered in dirt and old blood. Yarn did a CHECK on him before releasing him from his strings, finding an LV of 2 but a surprisingly high EXP score.

“welp, not letting you go anyti-i-ime soon.” Yarn huffed as the exhausted bitty collapsed into his strings, the hood on his head falling back. “oh shit, guys…this is a dust bitty.”

Tesla and Spirit look around, and Tesla comes close, looking this ‘newbie’ over. Yeah, he had the eyes, red on one side, a ring of blue in the middle of the other, but he felt…different than the factory-made dust bitties he’d been around in the shop. “he’s not the same though. maybe a different store? His magic is really different from the bitties I know.”

“wasn’t” choked out their exhausted captive, “wasn’t born dusty…”

All three of them felt their souls freeze. This wasn’t a dust bitty made from magic, from a factory and thus just a quirky little clean soul like theirs. Well, theirs before Error and Spirit had lived on the street but that only let them be a bit more ruthless. This bitty had killed, had gained LV and changed because of it. And the only way for a bitty to turn into a dust bitty….

“you killed your brother,” Spirit stated.

Just a nod, adding, “and several animals…had to survive somehow out here.”

Silence, even from you, despite you not being able to hear what they were saying.

Tesla sat next to the dust bitty, “do you regret it?”

“no.” His face betrayed him, tears gathering in his sockets as he looked away into the metal of the car, “and it’s none of your business. Just let me go and I’ll deal with myself.”

“no chance,” Spirit said as he plonked down next to Tesla. “I can feel the sorrow and guilt pouring out of your soul. You’ve killed a lot but you don’t want to. And our human won’t want us to leave you here.”

“your…?” still shaking, the bitty looked around again, seeming just now to realize where he was, “you guys have a human?”

“they’re a creampuff,” Yarn says, “but I dunno if we should le-le-let you come with us. You could hurt them.”

“Guys?” your voice startles them, as does the noise of your door opening, “Is he okay? Should I get the emergency candy?”

“probably a good idea,” Tesla says, “this dusty’s been out here a long time.”

“Dusty?!” You get fully out of the car and gasp, “Yarn, let the little guy go!”

The strings retract instantly, and you dig in your purse with one hand as the bitty gets up. Out comes your little owl coin purse and you take out the strawberry-flavored monster candy inside, carefully unwrapping it and handing it to the dirty skeleton.

Your boys watch him as he breaks the candy up to get more bite-sized pieces, eating it ravenously. Under all the grime, his bones brighten, his eye lights become clearer, and his breathing evens out. “wow, and I thought I liked food,” Tesla quips.

“must have been lean times,” Spirit looks at you, “and I’m guessing you want us to take him in?”

“You have to ask?” your tone is worried, and you can’t meet his gaze for more than a moment before glancing back at the grimy bones of the Dusty.

“just confirming.” Spirit gently touched the new bitty’s shoulder, “you’re coming home with us. Do you have a name?”

“not anymore,” he answered, finished with the candy. “lost the right to that name.”

“we’ll think of som-om-omething,” Yarn sighed. “let’s get back in the carrier and head out.”

“carrier?”

“you have been out here a long time,” Spirit chuckled as he climbed onto your arm. “they passed a law that bitties had to be in a secure carrier while driving last year.”

“that’s…that’s great,” the tired, shivering bitty laid on the roof, letting you scoop him up. He passed out before you even closed the door.


	6. ovulus reading

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dusty bitty gets settled and finds his place

Your worried thoughts focus mostly on the bitty in your car rather than the road for the remainder of the trip, the priority shifted to the little life you’re now responsible for instead of the possible malice or negligence of other drivers.

It helped, in a strange way, and you pulled into your apartment with a sigh of relief and pleased surprise. “Okay, let’s get our little fox upstairs.”

“fox?” Tesla asked as you opened the container and got it unstrapped from the front seat.

“uh…you guys know that movie we watched at home? The one with the owl lady?”

“Oh, The Fox and the Hound. Yeah.”

Yarn sniffed, “and what makes you relate this ra-ra-ragamuffin to a fox?” He’d been more glitchy since your guest had arrived, more little signs reading ‘error’ popping up around his head than usual. Well, more than you’d gotten used to once you’d stared doing the Haphephobia desensitization training. He must be very stressed.

“It reminded me of the beginning,” you hold the carrier close to your chest, shutting and locking the car with your key fob and heading down the path toward your place, “when the farm lady found little Todd in the grass. Dogs were chasing his mama, he got plucked out of the wild just like our little Dusty.”

“why don’t we call him todd then?” Tesla suggested. “could also work for sweeney todd.”

“Tesla!” you yelp softly.

“hey, it’s a good movie. And dusties tend to like knives and things like he does. Dunno about this guy, though.” Tesla huffed, “we’d watch a lot of musicals at the shop. Janet likes them.”

“I….actually only saw the trailers for that one.” You hum a bit of one of the songs, remembering the old Broadway music channel you’d listen to on your grandpa’s satellite TV. “but I do like the name. It’s a good name for him. We’ll ask how he likes it when he wakes up.”

\---

He woke up to the sound of a TV.

Really?

Keeping his sockets closed, he listened.

He’d never watched this show before…cooking? Neither of his humans liked cooking shows. They’d rather do the cooking than watch it.

But these voices weren’t theirs.

“Do you think Todd will like potatoes?”

“who does-es-es-esn’t like potatoes?”

“potatoes are a good base for a lot of good things. Might not like them on their own but as an ingredient, it’s hard to beat.”

“tesla, you’d say that about anything. But I do agree, they’re pretty universally loved.”

Tesla, he’d heard that name. Someone was close, a human but not his…wait.

The screech of tires from the TV made him shoot upright, looking around in panic. Oh…oh it’s an ad for a new Fast and Furious movie.

But this isn’t….oh. His soul throbs painfully as he remembers how he got here. Or, well, right before he passed out.

“that’s quite a load of negativity,” he looks to his side and sees the nightmare who’d helped save him from the dog. “didn’t remember you got rescued, did you?”

“no.”

Tesla, the horror, he remembers now, looks over from where he’s watching the TV, “glad you’re up. it’s almost dinner and you slept through lunch. Not healthy since ya haven’t had access to easy food for a while.”

The human from before, with the soft hands, has come over to look at him. “Hey there. Um, since you didn’t have a name, we were discussing one and thought we’d run it by you. But first, are you okay now? Feeling better?”

He nods, looking down and picking at a dried spot of blood on his hand, “uh….yeah. thanks. So what’s the name?”

“we were gonna call you-ou-ou-ou Todd,” comes the Error’s voice, from up on the back of the couch.

Thinking about it for a moment, he nods, “yeah. Todd is good.”

“Okay,” the human smiles and he can just feel the relief and happiness coming off them. “uh….hi I’m todd.”

“Okay, lets get you to the bathroom so you can wash up before food. Tesla’s already put a set of his clothes in there for you to use, but you can keep anything of yours you want.” They offered their hands and he nods, climbing on.

It was…nice. Being inside a house again. Being around people again. He couldn’t help thinking he didn’t deserve it. Burying his face in the scarf around his neck, Todd just went along with the human.

He took a bath, having to run the water over and over to get all the grime off himself but….he could still feel it. Sticking to his bones, grinding between his joints. The Dust.

Todd. His name was Todd now. There was still fondness and acceptance in it, but it was still a new name. He hadn’t been using his old name, never having anyone to talk to and…well, it didn’t make sense without HIM there either.

The human even left him in there alone, no guard or invasion of his…his personhood. Not that his old owners did that either but he’d heard things, when he was still in the store. But that would be too kind for him, too, Todd realizes, running another bout of fresh water to gently hand clean the scarf. He had to keep it nice. It was nice to have soap for that now.

Clean shirt, clean pants, clean socks. He felt so guilty for having these things.

The human came back when he called, and they let him eat with them and the other bitties. Todd liked these cheesy potatoes, they were filling and warm. Plus, since they made the bitties portions with magic powder, it actually gave energy and filled his HP back to the top. Still felt so weird, knowing he had more than one HP.

“Todd?”

He jerked his head up. He hadn’t realized someone was talking to him.

The human didn’t seem upset about it. “I just wanted to ask where you’d like to sleep. We’ve got the couch, or anywhere in the bedroom, or I can put a pillow somewhere more secluded if you’d like?”

“uh….a pillow in a closet sounds good. kinda….need to get used to a house again.”

“Alright,” they got up, “I’ll get you set up in the closet, and we’ll go to the bitty shop tomorrow and pick you up some clothes of your own.”

“until then,” Tesla smiles, giggling after a moment, “I don’t mind sharing my clothes. Expect to have me as a best friend from now on.”

Todd didn’t really want a best friend, but at least it was better than the other bitties wanting to antagonize him.

He just was waiting for the other shoe to drop but…at least he’s warm, full, and clean. It’s nice to get out of the woods. It’s nice not to worry about getting attacked by squirrels or something while he slept.

\--

Todd was very quiet.

You didn’t mind, being an introvert yourself, but he rarely spoke, always looked down and fiddled with his hands or scarf, and seemed to zone out often.

Tesla took charge of him, leading him around by the sleeve of his new jacket, sitting next to him, making him eat even if he had to go find where the reclusive bitty had hidden now.

Yarn, too, seemed to look after Todd. While he did finish your Gyftmas present (a lovely headband made from his own strings, that kept your hair out of your face and gave a soothing pressure to your head), he also started making lots of things for Todd. Mittens (he kee-ee-eeps almost touching hot things and it makes me nerrrrrr-nervous!) and various other pieces of clothing would just appear, all in the bright blue of Yarn’s string.

But you hadn’t seen Spirit bonding with your new housemate, and it worried you. If anyone needed help now that you were all back home, away from the pain of the holidays, it was Todd. You were actually doing very well, even….even if one of your new professors wasn’t listening to you. It was okay! One bad professor wasn’t going to ruin your college experience.

You just hoped your boys would do right by this morose little guy.

\--

Spirit walked up to Todd as he stared into space on top of the human’s desk.

The rest of the family was in the living room, doing their various normal activities, but Spirit thought it was about time he put his observation of Todd to use.

“hey.” He sat down in front of him, getting his attention. “I think you and I should have a talk.”

“oh, spirit. Yeah. what about?” Todd slowly blinked back to reality, and Spirit gave a small smile.

“I think it’s time I try to help you get into a better mental space.”

“huh? oh…oh, no, I’m fine.”

“todd, you lost your humans, your brother, and lived hand to mouth survival for a long time. that’s trauma, and you’re not doing well. I can feel your emotions, all the bad ones anyway…” Spirit gently took his hands, “you can’t lie to me.”

“oh…that’s what nightmares do. right.” Todd sighed and looked up at him, seeming infinitely tired. “so how does this work? yarn said you were a service bitty right?”

“Right,” Spirit nods, squeezing Todd’s hands a bit, “so first of all, I’m going to take some of the bad feelings out of you. they won’t come back for about an hour, but you can take that time to enjoy yourself or talk about things without them clouding you. that sound okay? I won’t leave for that whole time unless you want me to.”

“okay,” Todd shrugs, “I don’t know if I even remember what it feels like not to have them.”

“I figured.” Spirit carefully touched his tendrils to Todd’s skull and sighed, “okay, I’ve started.”

The two were silent for a long moment, sitting there, the negativity draining out of Todd’s soul to fill Spirit’s stomach.

After the silence, Spirit quietly admits, “I lost my brother, too.”

“ah. Is it okay if I ask how?” Todd just seemed more comfortable at this point.

“human who inherited us stepped on him. I was pretty much in a blackout for a few months after that. I can’t even remember how I lived or escaped to the streets,” the nightmare looks as their clasped hands.

“we were in a crash,” Todd admitted, “our humans tried to avoid a deer and my brother and I got launched out the open window. This was before the container law.”

“ah.” This would be good for him, Spirit knew. Telling someone else your story lifted the worst of it off your shoulders. “so that’s how you got out there.”

“yeah. bro’s legs and lower arms were gone when we came to. I was lucky, cause I was asleep when it happened so nothing broke on me when we landed in the bush.” Todd’s sockets began to tear up, “I tried to carry him around, but we kept getting attacked by animals. Finally, bro just asked me to…” he puts his head down, trying to hide the tears, “to dust him.”

“He asked you to?” That was surprising to learn, but Spirit wanted to know more, “Why though?”

“because he….he said he couldn’t be himself anymore even if we lived, a-and if I had some…some LV I’d be able to survive better, have more health and not be” A shuddering breath broke the words, “be burdened. Having to carry him.”

Spirit’s tendrils slowly dropped away and he leaned his forehead to touch Todd’s, “and you did it because he asked, didn’t you?”

“I couldn’t let him….suffer anymore. he was already miserable the moment he knew he’d never run again. And he wouldn’t stop asking me to do it,” Todd was shaking now, “he didn’t even sound like himself the last day. he was so angry at me for waiting. For wasting time and energy I could have saved for myself.”

“that wasn’t fair of him to put that on you,” Spirit murmured back.

“b-but I did it. a-and he was so happy when he realized he was going,” Spirit felt like his finger bones were being crushed with how hard Todd was holding on, “I snapped out of frustration and it was enough to kill him. He smiled and told me he knew I’d be a good brother and do it. that I’d be much happier with him as a guardian angel than alive…and broken and upset and I just had to watch.”

As the other bitty cried, Spirit hummed softly, “no wonder it was so awful. I don’t blame you for what happened. It was not your fault he lost his limbs, and it shouldn’t have been up to you to deal with his depression after that. you were doing the best you could and he was making it harder.”

“but I killed him…”

“by accident.” Spirit’s voice stayed slow and soft. “I’ve bonked yarn and tesla with a bone more times than I can count out of pure frustration. It’s just what happens sometimes. You are not a bad bitty for being frustrated with your brother or acting out when you were in a life or death situation 24/7.”

Todd just sobbed, and Spirit continued to talk him through it, explaining as he’d been taught to being a service bitty. Grief and trauma were what he was trained to handle, and he wanted Todd to start feeling better. Having the thick, heavy mass of negativity inside him for so long had to have hurt, had to have damaged his soul. Spirit would help him lift that.

The door clicked open, holding for a second before closing again. Had to be the human, but it was alright. They were probably worried about the crying.

“Spirit?”

“yeah, todd?” he didn’t know what that whisper could be for.

“can…” he sniffed and hiccuped a bit as he tried to speak mid-sob, “can i…please….can I call you bro?”

His soul stilled for a second, but the throb of pain and following wave of acceptance from his soul let him answer, “sure, todd. I’d like that.”

\--

Tesla pushed the bowl of soup closer to Todd, “c’mon, man, eat.”

“tesla, I don’t…I’m not up to it,” protested the other bitty, trying to back off.

“EAT.” Tesla grabbed his arm hard and pointed, eye light blown out despite his pupil being a black pinpoint.

“Tesla!” the human squeaked, “Leave Todd alone.”

That seemed to shake him out of his fervor, making him blush and let go of Todd, “sorry, pal. just…I’m worried about you. food is my thing and you were out there in the wild so…heh, sorry.”

Todd nodded smiling a little, “it’s okay. I get it. I’ll try, okay?”

Appeased, Tesla sat back, “okay. just want my new bestie to be healthy, y’know?”

With things defused, you relax a bit. Sometimes you forgot that Tesla was a Horror bitty. Times like this make you remember.

\--

Todd had been lost in the woods since before the law making bitties ride in containers, so you got curious. When was this law put in place?

Looking it up after your first month back at school, you’re idly scanning the Wikipedia for it and say out loud, “Aww, that’s sad.”

“what?” Todd’s on your shoulder, dozing on and off.

“The reason the bitty carrier law was put in place was because this couple lost their bitties in a crash. Peanut and Jam.” You point to the picture of a human man and woman holding a Sansy and a Papyrus bitty.

Todd gasped and tensed on your shoulder, and you looked over. He was staring at the screen, eye lights shaking.

“Todd?”

He swallowed hard and said softly, “I didn’t know they lived.”

“What?” You gently scoop him into your hands so you can look at him easier, “Todd, what’s going on?”

Todd would not look away from the screen, eye lights darting over it, leaking purple tears, “those are…that’s my family.”

A weight dropped into your stomach, “These are your humans? This is you?”

“was.”

“Todd! This means we could get you back to your family. They’d be so happy you lived!” you feel conflicted, yes, since you’ve grown very attached to your tiny dusty, but you won’t keep him from his home.

“no!” he flinches and pulls his hood over his face. “I can’t….i’m not jam anymore.”

Stilling yourself, you gently rub your thumb over his leg bones, “Are you sure? They changed the laws for you. I’m sure they’d love you all the same.”

“no…I’m not jam if he’s not here.” He was holding onto his hood so tight you could see the wrinkles in the fabric, “I’m Todd now. I belong here. I’m Spirit’s brother now. Don’t….don’t make me face them, please. Don’t make them know what I did.”

You kept stroking his leg, shushing softly, “That’s all I needed to know, hon. I’m sorry for upsetting you. I don’t want you to leave, either so you’re staying here. It’s okay, Todd.”

Clinging to your fingers now, Todd nodded and tried to stop crying. You got up and moved to your bed, away from the source of the trouble, so you could comfort him properly.

\--

You didn’t want to leave Todd the next day, and Spirit encouraged you to bring him along to class. Todd was always quiet, seemed happy to just be near you and nap in your bag, and it was only for a few hours.

So you were still on campus when lunch rolled around, and a treat for your little group of two seemed in order. Into the student union you went, and you ordered some fries from the WicDonalds and got ketchup packets this time. Usually you forgo the sauce since you prefer plain fries, but you know Todd will like it.

Finding a place, you sit down and scoop Todd out of the bag, “hey snoozy boy, got us some food. Don’t tell Tesla I’m not eating a salad~”

“I won’t if you don’t,” Todd smiled and scrambled over to the ketchup packets. “mmmn….”

The warm golden strings of potato were delicious, and you happily enjoyed it with Todd, who was looking much perkier than he had this morning.

Footsteps in your otherwise isolated corner alerted you that someone was here, and you look up. A girl was there and you cringe. She was looking at Todd and you in the weirdest way and you did not look forward to the conversation.

“Hi there! I couldn’t help noticing your bitty. He’s sooooo sweet,” she said, and batted her artificial lashes. She had a sorority shirt on, and the matching jacket over top, with Victoria’s Secret sweatpants on. You knew this kind of girl. You hated dealing with them.

“Um, yeah, he’s great,” your voice was super quiet, your anxiety building inside you. Todd was just watching her, looking confused. It made you feel better that he wasn’t feeling threatened…unlike you.

“I love seeing a man ready to be sensitive and nurturing,” she giggled, biting her lip and smirking. Oh nooooo, you were not a man and you were not going to date this girl. She was trying to ask you out, this had happened before. “Or is this your girlfriend’s bitty?”

“No, he’s mine,” You wanted so bad to pull Todd closer because you were getting worried. This was a rich girl if she could afford all that sorority merch and those pants. You were not rich, you were not interested in dating, and definitely not her. “Um…can I help you with anything?”

“Oh, maybe,” she lit up when you said he was yours, and slid into the seat opposite you. Oh stars help you. “See, there’s a party at our house this weekend and I was thinking a cutie like you would be PERFECT to be my date.”

“I um…I don’t really do parties,” you tried to continue but she cut you off.

“Don’t be shy! You’re a nice boy, you’ll do fine.”

You’re not a boy. The more she was here the more you wanted to vomit. You just didn’t know how to get her to go away.

“hey lady,” Todd spoke up, gathering your empty fry box and ketchup packets, “as nice as the compliments are, my human doesn’t really like crowds.” He looked like he was ready to go, and you were so grateful.

“Oh he talks! I forgot they do that. The little blue guy my parents got me doesn’t do that anymore,” she says and you freeze. A Baby Blue should be talkative, ALWAYS. “But it’s cute, so I’ll forgive you, little guy.”

“I don’t need your forgiveness,” Todd motioned for you to lift him up and you put him on your shoulder. “My human and I are going to go home now. They aren’t interested in you, or your party, and they AREN’T a man. You didn’t even introduce yourself before shoving your opinions on them.” He was warm, warmer than you’d felt him before, and his dual colored socket was flowing with purple energy.

The girl looked put out, “Dude, control your rude bitty. How are you going to get a girlfriend if he’s allowed to say stuff like that? Haven’t you trained him?”

That snapped you. You had tried to control it, but your anger and anxiety were combining now and the words poured out, “Bitties are people! You don’t train a human being, you don’t train a bitty! I wouldn’t’ want to be with you anyway! I’m not interested in dating! I just wanted to have a nice lunch with my friend and you butted in and tried to strongarm me! I’m not a man, not a dude, I’M FUCKING NONBINARY and you need to think about your morals, woman!”

As you left, she scoffed, “Of course he’s gay,” and you just growled and kept walking, throwing your trash away. Ignorant bitch.

Todd looked around once you were in the hallways, then leaned against your cheek, “you did a good job, buddy. I was gonna stand up for you, but you got it out yourself. You deserve respect like anybody else. Proud of you.”

“I just…” you felt the tears coming and hurried out and back toward the parking lot where your car was, in front of the language studies building, “Hearing about that poor Baby Blue, then her acting like you were some kind of dog or something…I don’t want to do that in public. But I couldn’t….she’s so messed up and I couldn’t let her talk to you that way.”

“and that’s why I’m glad to be your bitty,” Todd nodded, nuzzling into you comfortingly. “you care about us. You don’t want anything bad to happen to us, or any bitties. How about be call the center when we get home and report what that girl said to us? Might not be able to do much about it, but at least we told someone. I’m sure they’d at least do a welfare check for us. I got her sorority letters memorized.”

“Yeah,” you swallowed thickly to get rid of your tears. “I wouldn’t mind talking to Rogers and Janet right now.”

“cool. If you want we can go visit instead of calling? Winston’ll get mad for us, too.” Todd giggled at the idea. “Spirit says he’s got a thing for justice in a big way.”

“Hahah….he’s pretty cute when he stomps around. Yeah. I think we’ll do that,” the idea of going to the bitty center made you happier. You really liked it there, and the two employees you’d met were both kind to you and your little family. And your boys liked to talk to the bitties there, including Winston.

So you did feel a little better as you drove home. You could miss one Logic class. You were doing very well there anyway.

\---

Todd started sleeping in the nest a week later. He brought your extra pillow back from the closet and snuggled in between Tesla and Spirit. Both of them seemed pleased, Spirit wrapping Todd in his tendrils and Tesla hugging him tightly around the waist, like a large plushie.

You smile at them, liking the way Todd seemed to sink into their holds, looking up at Yarn’s little hornet ball in the corner. Yarn was grinning and shot you a thumbs up. Seems he approves of this also.

All of you were in the same room now, within sight and sound easily. Your anxious soul eased, having your boys so close, and it seemed much faster to drift off than it had before.


	7. automatic writing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loose ends are connected back in

“Spirit?”

You heard someone walking on top of your cabinets, and that was usually something only your first bitty did. The rest seemed happy to stay on your level.

But looking up at the cabinets, you didn’t see your little inkblot at all. You saw nothing.

Having heard his name, Spirit popped up on your shoulder, “did you want me?”

“Someone was walking up there,” you point at the cabinets and Spirit freezes.

“I forgot to seal up my old entrance. That could be a squirrel,” he muttered and slowly got up, “get the others, and shut your bedroom door. We’ll get it.”

Oh. OH there was a WILD ANIMAL in your house!

You quickly set Spirit on the lower counter and dash off to the bedroom where the bitties had been watching some Valentine’s day specials online. “Guys, Spirit says a squirrel is in the house maybe? He wants you in the kitchen.”

The boys paused their video and blipped out one by one, Todd being last, “we’ll take care of it. just relax in here for a bit?” He smiled at you before disappearing, and you shut your door, putting a blanket under it to ensure a wriggling rodent couldn’t get through the gap.

\--

Spirit took a deep breath and reached his magic out. His team was here, gathered around him, and his human was behind the wall. So where was….THERE.

A soul that was different, new, desperate where all their souls were calm. “on top of the far cabinets, far left side,” Spirit said softly, and the four of them nod.

There’s barely a second between locating the intruder and the group surrounding them.

In the shadow of a blue phone box cookie jar, a smiling bitty with no eye lights sat, black lines under his sockets and a small upside down red heart shining on his chest. He was relatively clean, but he had no shoes, so the bones of his feet were covered in enough dirt to look black on the bottoms. “hey guys.”

“who are you?” Spirit asked, looking over this stranger.

“well, last human called me Snake. Like the name, not the human,” he giggled and the heart on his chest wavered a bit, “but I got out of there when things got bad. Turns out someone in this complex thinks fighting bitties is a good idea.”

The group went still, and Todd asked, “what kind of bitty are you? I don’t remember ever seeing someone like you before.”

“my type are called Killers,” Snake got up, “but we don’t kill unless this little thing goes full circular,” he pointed to his chest. “that’s my soul, or a representation of it. I’m pretty chill right now.”

“so your human wanted you to fight other bitties?” Tesla asks, and Snake nods.

“yeah. teleported into the walls when I heard that. the pet store I came from didn’t do background checks so it’s pretty lucky I got into the tunnels in there and away from that sicko.”

Spirit nodded, “well, snake, our human is rather nice, but they think you’re a squirrel right now. I didn’t realize it was another bitty messing with my old nest and not an animal.”

“ooooh, so that was your stuff. sorry about that. thought it was long abandoned.”

Waving it off, Spirit wrapped a tendril around Snake’s wrist, “come with me, and we’ll let them know you’re here.”

“hey, uh, maybe don’t?” Snake pulled back, soul wavering again. “humans aren’t good for me. uh…”

Yarn sighed, “can we at least tell-ell-ell them it was a bitty in here and not a squirrel? They’re scared of animals and we do our beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeest to help them not be afraid or stressed.”

Snake looks around at them, and Todd shrugs, “they’re good to us. Rescued me from the forest and got spirit and yarn out of the streets. Never laid a hand on us in anger.”

“uh…yeah. okay.” Snake’s body was still tense, but his smile eased when Spirit’s tendril retracted from him, “sure. You can tell your human I’m running around, but maybe don’t tell them if you know I’m here? let me decide when or if I talk to them?”

The four nodded, and Tesla added, “we’ll let you be comfy. Won’t stop them from worrying about ya, but they’ll at least make sure you’re fed. I can tell ya now, they’d rather starve than let a bitty go hungry.”

“okay. okay. so…you guys got names?” Snake perked up now that the idea of a human was off the table.

“I’m Spirit,” he used his tendrils to point, “this is yarn, tesla, and todd. We’re the team in charge of keeping our human healthy and happy.”

“heh, and you’re all happy doin’ that?” Snake was interested. “must be some human. I’ll keep an eye on this place, see what I think about it.”

“we’ll be registering you at the shop in a week,” Yarn snorted. “nice to mee-ee-eet you Snake.”

“yeah…yeah.” Snake disappeared, and none of them felt his soul anywhere in the house anymore.

“alright,” Tesla moved down to the normal counter, “time to retrieve our human.”

\--

Snake didn’t know what to think.

This human…they acted so soft. He watched them, when they were home and interacting with the other bitties. Snake had never seen a human do the things they did.

The bitties could climb all over their body and they wouldn’t mind, and they were going out of their way to help the error, Yarn, get over his fear of touch. He could not believe that this Error was so comfortable he could sit on his human’s head, no hat or scarf over it.

Snake had been through three humans. The first one had been a little kid who had been scared of his appearance when he unwrapped his birthday present, so the parents brought him back to the store. The second one was a girl, who had to give him up when she got married as her husband didn’t want any ‘competition’ (he still hated that man. Seeing her cry as she left him behind had nearly made him go into murder mode). And then the bitty fighter he’d gotten this time after his shelter closed down and he’d been transferred to a pet shop.

So not a lot of good experiences.

But hey, these guys seemed to have it good. Tesla had been right; Snake kept finding bowls of dried fruit, or cereal, or other dry goods up on the cabinet near his way in, so he got fed regularly. And now that he thought about it, Snake hadn’t really gotten that even before his last owner went the fighting route.

Yeah, this house was nice and peaceful.

After a few days, the guys even came to talk to him.

“hello, snake,” Spirit said as he popped up, “is my old nest treating you well?”

“very,” Snake grinned, dangling his legs over the edge of the cabinets. “you did a good job. Better than the stupid pet carrier I was stuck in, that’s for sure.”

“ah. Well, at least you aren’t there anymore.” Spirit looked out over the apartment and sighed, “how have you found our home? What do you think of us?”

Thinking for a moment, Snake answers, “I don’t understand you, honestly. Never had a human like this. only nice one I had was not big on touch, so all this cuddling is kinda weird to me.”

“you get used to it. I wasn’t originally very touchy myself but…something about being completely at ease makes it more appealing. And Tesla and Todd are both speaking touch as their love language. Todd needs it desperately and Tesla is more than willing to give it, so,” Spirit shrugs and smiles.

“you’re definitely the most chill corrupted nightmare I ever saw. Got a few in the pet store but hey usually got euthanized for being violent,” Snake sighed deeply. “rough out there for a pet with feelings.”

“all pets have feelings, to some extent. But we aren’t pets, not in this house,” Spirit’s tendril pointed to where Yarn and the human were playing some sort of video game together, “they lose to him every time, but since yarn loves to play the game, our human will pick up that controller whenever he asks.”

Snake’s empty sockets took in the scene, blinking slowly, then he turned back to Spirit, “I see it, I do, but I’m just not ready to take that leap. Lemme watch a little longer.”

“just know we’re here when you want us,” Spirit chuckled a little before vanishing, hopping down to the counter and then the floor before going back to the group.

\--

Tesla was the next one to come up, and Snake was happy because he brought some soup with him.

“we were all havin’ some, so I got you a serving. You need somethin’ warm now and then,” the horror bitty seemed very happy to watch Snake inhale the delicious meal.

“ugh, wow. Haven’t had warm food for almost a year now. Thanks,” Snake sighed happily, idly licking his teeth clean.

Tesla frowned, patting his back, “y’know you’d get it most nights with us, right? you don’t gotta starve or go without just cause ya don’t like humans. could just come down to eat?”

“really?” Snake hadn’t thought of that. With all these other bitties around, if the human tried to grab him he’d have a lot of shields… “a tempting offer. Makes me wonder, though, how come you aren’t a hoarder? I got the impression most horrors are more interested in keeping food for themselves than getting others to eat.”

“was raised in a nice little shop,” Tesla looked out at the wall, swinging his slippers as he talked, “had plenty of food, lots of nice folks ran it, and they treated us all right. let me indulge in science studies and stuff, real neat. Guess if I’d had a brother back then, I woulda been a bit more stingy about food, would want him to have it, but I didn’t have one till I got here. spirit’s a little sensitive about being called a brother, only Todd can do that right now, but we all consider ourselves family. ‘specially to todd, guy needs support and I’m more’n happy to let him have mine. Speaking of…”

Snake jolted as Tesla’s eye light vanished entirely and his smile became tight and too wide, “you be nice to him or I’ll be doing something about it.”

“I will!” he nearly dropped the bowl before the red light reappeared in his companion’s socket, a little fuzzy and confused.

“Oh….went too intense there, huh? been happenin’ more since Todd got here. guess my soul kinda latched onto him since he was in such a bad state when we picked him up. sorry, snake. I just don’t want anything else to upset him. he’s been through enough.” He really did seem sorry, furrowing his browbones and looking away, blushing a little. Snake could respect that, being protective of your family.

“not a problem, tesla. I get it, wanting to keep someone you care about safe. ‘s normal.”

“ehehe, you’re okay, snake.” Tesla brightened up now that he knew he hadn’t hurt Snake’s feelings, “but do think about comin’ down for dinner at least. We’d all like ta have you around, and I swear our human doesn’t bite.” Giggling about that, he got up, “but I gotta go back so I can make sure everybody cleaned their plate. I don’t look up recipes for them not to eat it.”

He took the bowl and spoon from Snake, then waved before teleporting away.

\--

Snake considered what Tesla had said, and did come out for meals…on the condition that the human wasn’t around. They were pretty accommodating, too, agreeing to eat alone in their room so the bitties could spend time together.

Todd grinned on their third dinner with Snake in the group, “so, snake, you like puns or no?”

“who doesn’t like puns?”

“mostly papy or boss types,” Yarn was just eating, not looking at anybody, but he smirked. He was glad the other bitty was being more social.

Snake nodded, “forgot about them. Been a long time since I saw any of them. They just aren’t as popular.”

“shame,” Spirit said, taking a bite, “because papys are actually very helpful for folks with self esteem issues and bosses are wonderful guardians for vulnerable people, like children and the elderly.”

“I can attest to the papys,” Todd says thoughtfully, thumbing over his scarf gently. “never met someone more determined to make everyone feel awesome.”

“oh right,” Snake frowned, “sorry man. Uh…so, what do you call a karen by the seaside?”

Yarn looked up, eyes sparkling, “a b-b-b-b-beach.”

The whole table erupted with laughter.

\--

You weren’t expecting a call, but you took it all the same. “Hello?”

“Hey!” it was Rogers, “I just called to update you on that possible bitty mistreatment thing we talked about. Turns out you were right.”

That made your stomach sink. “She was abusing him?”

“Yeah,” he sounded sad, “he was living in a cardboard box and didn’t even have more than one shirt, and there was no magic powder anywhere in the house. That girl has been blacklisted along with her parents from ever adopting a bitty again from any licensed bitty center. We’ve got the little fella here and Winston’s taken a personal interest in helping him out.”

“Oh good.”

There was a pause, “Uh, he actually wanted to thank you when we told him someone told us about him. Would that be okay with you?”

Blushing, you answer, “It wasn’t anything big, really, but I don’t want to disappoint the little guy.”

“You won’t. Can you come in this afternoon?”

“Yeah. I don’t have any classes this evening,” you look at your calendar and nod, “yeah, nothing planned, so I’ll be there.”

You clicked the hang up button after bidding Rogers goodbye, and you see little legs hanging over the top of the cabinets in the kitchen as you turn.

“what was that about?” It’s the first time Snake has spoken directly to you, and you smile at him.

“Todd and I reported a possibly abused bitty to the shelter a few weeks ago and they were able to save him. They told him about how they found him and he wants to say thank you so I’m going to the shelter this afternoon.”

Snake tilts his head, then asks slowly, “so that was real? You really went out of your way to get a bitty out of a bad situation? I thought Todd was exaggerating.”

Blinking, you just nod. Yeah, it was real, was that really so hard to believe? For Snake, maybe it was.

He got up and brushed off his jacket, “I’d like to talk to this bitty. You mind bringing one of the others along with us so I’m not alone with you?”

“Uh, no, I don’t mind. The guys are on the computer if you wanna ask…” wow you hadn’t expected this, but there he went, zipping down to the counter, to the floor and dashing into the bedroom to a chorus of pleased greetings.

\---

Snake insisted on walking by himself to the car, so you went slow with Spirit and Todd on your shoulders. He climbed into the container himself, flopping on the padding inside. “this is so sooooooft. Spirit, my man, you live in luxury.”

“I already told you that you can join anytime. This is a nice step forward for you,” Spirit teleported in himself and sits in his usual spot before you close up the mesh lid.

“yeah, uh, sure. I just…I can kinda identify with a guy who’s been mistreated,” Snake shrugged.

Todd snickered, “you shoulda seen the girl, though. looked like she’d been roasted like a turkey. It’s winter, tans don’t make sense, especially fake ones.”

“It’s March 20th,” Spirit told him. “That means it’s spring tomorrow, on the solstice.”

You giggle as they bicker and gossip on the way to the shop, and wait for the three of them to shortcut out of their box before you head inside.

Snake is still walking, his little dirty feet tapping on the tile as Rogers calls to you.

“Hey! Who’s the little Killer? And why’s he walking?”

“that’s snake. Someone bought him thinking he’d be good for a fighting ring and he escaped into the walls of our apartments. He’s not technically part of our household, but he wanted to see and talk to the baby blue,” Spirit explained for you as you smiled at the kind man.

“Ha! Cool. We should call you the bitty whisperer, y/n, seriously.” Rogers got up and motioned for you to follow him to a door beside the register, “Rescues go back here, since they need some time before they can be ready to try adoption again, if ever. Your guy is super sweet, and he’s doing a lot better already.”

The room you entered was bright and happy, but with pastels instead of primary colors, and a few bitties were in the little “rooms” around the walls. Some of them cowered back when you entered, but Rogers led you to where Winston was talking quietly to a Baby Blue, wearing a soft sweater matching his name and some grey shorts, along with the classic bandanna.

Sensing the humans, Winston turned and smiled brightly on seeing you, “AH, HERE THEY ARE, AND THEY BROUGHT SPIRIT AND TODD WITH THEM. I TOLD YOU THEY WOULD COME AT YOUR REQUEST.”

The smaller bitty looked around and gasped, hiding behind Winston and shaking, though peeking out to stare with shaky, tiny eye lights.

“HE’S STILL NERVOUS AROUND HUMANS, UNDERSTANDABLY. ROGERS, IF YOU WOULDN’T MIND STEPPING OUT WHILE WE TALK?” Winston waved his human away, and Rogers just laughed a little and gave a salute before heading outside. “GOOD. NOW, BLUE,” Winston turned around slowly and put his hands on his companion’s shoulders, “I know you’re frightened, but I will be right here. This is a human I’ve encountered many many times, and they are kind, generous, and respectful. Just hold my hand and you’ll have your say, alright?”

A small nod was all Winston needed, taking the Baby Blue by the hand and coaxing him out. His voice was barely audible it was so soft, and that broke your heart. “Hello, human. And bitties. I um…I wanted to thank you. F-for saving me, or at least calling the center.” He was still close to Winston’s side, seeming afraid to look at you as he spoke.

Todd teleported to the shelf the baby blue’s room was on and put his hand to the glass, “was the least we could do. nobody deserves to be hurt. Nobody.”

“I couldn’t let that girl get away with trying to steal your voice,” you admitted, pangs of rage and sadness making your chest ache. “You should be able to speak your mind like anybody else. You deserve to be well treated…”

Cautiously, he edged away from Winston a bit, voice just slightly easier to hear, “Thank you. I’m okay now. Winston and the others take good care of me here.”

Snake, seeing an opportunity, teleports up and lands right in front of where Blue and Winston are standing, making the rescue squeak in alarm and hide fully again.

Growling, the shop bitty grits his teeth, “WHO ARE YOU AND WHY DID YOU THINK THAT WAS A GOOD IDEA? HE’S A RESCUE FOR STARS SAKE, YOU DON’T MAKE SUDDEN MOVES LIKE THAT!”

Snake blinked, soul wavering visibly before he spoke, “sorry. Didn’t think. I only get that way from humans so….yeah, my bad. I’m Snake.”

Spirit took his spot beside Todd as Snake explained himself, “had me some bad humans, too, and I’m seeing if this one is legit a nice person.”

Blue is peeking out and asks, worriedly, “And are they? Nice, I mean? Legit?”

“yeah, far as I know,” Snake shrugs, “but I wanted to see you, little blue, and see if I could help.”

Moving out from behind Winston again, death grip still on his hand, Blue seemed a little bolder even if he was still quiet as a church mouse, “I don’t know how but I appreciate it. Um, Winston’s been telling me about,” he turned to the other two bitties, “about you and your family, Spirit. Are you really a service bitty?”

“once, I was, yes,” Spirit smiled. “why? Do you have questions for me?”

“I just,” Blue blushed and fidgeted with the hem of his sweater with his free hand, “I used to want to help humans and…it’s nice. That you did, even if you don’t anymore.”

“oh I still do,” laughing, Spirit put his arm around Todd, “I take care of my human and this little scamp.”

“I’m the same height as you!” Todd tried to push away and got pulled closer as Spirit smirked.

“my precious baby brother~”

“we don’t even know our ages!”

The nervous bitty in the container laughed a bit, as did Snake, and Winston cracked a small smile.

“but being serious,” Spirit let Todd go, who stuck his tongue out at him, “I do use my old training a lot to help my human with anxiety and depression. I do the same for todd and yarn, our error friend.”

Something sparked in Blue and he eased up his grip on Winston, “You live with an Error? I….I really liked them at my old store. They always looked so cool when they used their strings.”

Todd offered, “yarn’s a cool person. He’s kind of the mom friend in our family; he takes care of keeping the house free of garbage and makes us things if he thinks we need a new pair of socks or a sweater or something.”

Snake nods to everything, “been watching their little group for a month now. Never even knew humans could be this cuddly with bitties.”

Blue’s sockets widened, and little blue tears appeared in the edges of his sockets, “you get to cuddle?” There was so much longing in his voice, you just wanted to punch that girl. She’d deprived him of something that was vital to the wellbeing of everyone, but especially bitties.

“only one who doesn’t is yarn, but he’s recovering from his haphephobia pretty well,” Spirit states as he looks over at Snake, “and this one, since he hasn’t decided to join the family yet.”

Blue nodded, seeming very interested, “I’m glad. You all seem like…like very nice bitties and I’m happy you have a nice home. Um….” He looked at Winston, who gave him a smile and a nod, “I…I’d like it if you’d come visit me again. If that’s okay. And I’d…really like, um, like to meet Yarn. A-and the rest of your family!”

You brighten, “Oh of course. We need to get out of the house more, so I’m more than happy to come back and bring the rest of the guys.”

Snake seemed to have been thinking, “y’know, blue, I think I’ll come, too. get my paperwork so I can make my residence ‘official’ and all that. gotta get my spot set up so I can brag about it next time.”

All the bitties seem surprised and happy with that news, and you feel elated.

“Okay,” Blue’s voice has gotten to a quiet speaking volume, “I’ll look forward to that, but I’m a little tired now. Thank you all so much for coming.”

“Thank you, Blue, for inviting us. We hope you feel better soon,” you say and Winston gives you an approving nod. “Snake, since you said that, would you like to pick out some clothes while we’re here?”

“I get clothes? Sweet, let’s do it,” Snake flung himself into a shortcut and down to the floor, dashing out the door.

Blue gave a soft giggle, then let go of Winston and headed toward the bitty-sized bed in the far corner of the tank. The rest of your bitties ran after Snake, and you gave Winston a wave as you left the room, too.

\--

That night, as he snuggled with a tiny taco plush that had been given to him by the royal guardsman who oversaw his rescue, the Baby Blue thought about his visitors.

He was glad to have met the human and bitty who had found out he was in trouble and actually ACTed. They were so concerned for him, even though he had only just met him. It was so nice to feel that. Winston had said you’d be happy he was safe, but actually seeing that and feeling it was a lot more than he’d expected.

And then your bitties! They were all so healthy and strong, he could feel their magic thrumming. Even Snake, who hadn’t accepted your kindness fully…Blue wanted so badly to hug them all. He was aching for hugs, and apparently you really liked them! He’d only been with his old human for six months, but she’d never wanted to hug him. He hadn’t been cuddled properly since he left the shop.

Blue knew he wasn’t special. There were lots and lots of other Baby Blues, more coming from the factory every day because humans liked their cuteness. The girl had said so, a lot. That he was annoying and loud and stupid. That he could dust and the world would go on like he’d never existed. That she’d only take care of him if he was quiet and didn’t bother her.

He sniffled and held tighter to his plushie. “At least I have you, Cheesy.”

The soft, fuzzy taco smelled faintly of fresh cut grass, probably scented from the factory, but Blue liked it. It reminded him of summer; he’d been happy last summer.

Maybe he could be happy again this summer. He knew he’d be happy next week, at least. Rogers had said you’d come visit him then, and he’d get to meet Yarn. An Error from a house full of healthy, well loved bitties was bound to be even cooler than the ones at the shop had been. And maybe Tesla? Winston said the little horror you adopted from this shop had been named Tesla.

Trying to sleep now, Blue breathed in Cheesy’s pleasing scent and calmed down a bit. He’d work very hard to try and be a good bitty, and maybe, if he was lucky, he could get better and feel happy again.

\---

Snake didn’t know why he’d said that. Being an owned bitty again? After everything he’d been through?

But Blue had been so down. He’d wanted to go first, give the little guy some hope that at least you were a good human. That getting adopted again wasn’t a sentence to torment and pain. Hadn’t his second adopter been a good person? Hadn’t she said she loved him all the time, even though she didn’t like being touched? He could understand Yarn a lot because of her, and he still missed her sometimes. Stupid possessive husband….

You were touchy, nervous, and quiet. It was like you were more worried about them than about yourself, even when you went out alone so much. Well, you used to. Todd had decided he liked being a silent observer and going to class with you, and Snake watched you and him head out every weekday. Todd seemed happier, as he’d watched him, and really excited about learning with you.

Snake wondered if that wasn’t some of why he’d agreed to be officially yours. The fact you actually wanted them around, and shared your knowledge with them. The bitties, that is. Cause he hadn’t been brave enough to ask for that yet.

He still didn’t want to be held by you, or be on your shoulder, but he liked the guys and wouldn’t mind joining in on the nap pile or having a real bed again. Even riding in the car was really nice with the soft carrier and conversation. He did like your voice a lot. Much kinder than his last human, but that wasn’t a very high bar to clear.

And you waited on him. You didn’t press for things, didn’t force him or push him past his limits.

Maybe he could learn to trust you more, but he already knew what he was going to do now.

As soon as he was back in the house, he started scrambling around to collect stuff (after he put his new wardrobe away). He was going to make a safe place, a hidden place, and he had to do a lot of stuff to get that ready.


	8. ghost photography

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more time with blue and some insight into Yarn's mind

Winston chuckled as Blue modeled for him.

“Do you think they’ll like me? The new guys, I mean? You said they were bringing everyone this time, right?”

“YES.” Winston came over and adjusted Blue’s bandanna, “DON’T BE SO NERVOUS IF YOU CAN HELP IT. ROGERS AND I BOTH ARE SURE ALL OF THEM WILL LIKE YOU. THESE BITTIES ARE PARTICULAR, YES, BUT SPIRIT HAS ALREADY APPROVED SO THE OTHERS WILL AS WELL.”

“Spirit likes me?” Blue’s eye lights were still small and hazy, but they turned to stars. “Really?”

“YES!” backing off, Winston grinned, “I TOLD YOU, WE TALK OVER THE PHONE OFTEN AND HE SAID HE THOUGHT YOU WERE A VERY RESILIANT LITLE BITTY. NOW STOP FRETTING OVER YOUR CLOTHES AND TRY TO RELAX. THEY’LL BE HERE SOON.”

“Right. Thank you for the help, Winston,” Blue hugged him, and got a blush and irritated huff in response. That was okay, he knew Winston was just not used to hugs. He’d said they were okay as long as it was just them.

“ALRIGHT. NOW I’LL GO ESCORT THEM IN AND YOU SETTLE DOWN.” Extricating himself, Winston leapt upward and out of Blue’s recovery room. He then quickly raced out to the main store and settled himself on the counter next to Rogers.

“He doing okay?” his human asked, and Winston nodded.

“HE SEEMS VERY EAGER TO IMPRESS THEM, WHICH IS GOOD. HE STILL BELIEVES IN HIMSELF ENOUGH TO THINK HE CAN, SO HIS SELF ESTEEM CAN BE BUILT BACK UP.”

That made Rogers grin and look toward the door, “So what do you think about the idea I pitched to Janet last night?”

“ABOUT OFFERING THE HUMAN A JOB HERE? I THINK IT’S A VERY GOOD IDEA SINCE THEY SEEM TO INNATELY ATTRACT AND BOND WITH BITTIES IN TROUBLE. AND I CAN’T SAY I’D DISLIKE HAVING MY COMPATRIOTS AROUND IN PERSON.” He refused to say ‘friends’. How juvenile a word.

“We’ll talk about it with them and see what they think,” Rogers stretched and sighed. “Now we just wait.”

\--

Winston guided you back to Blue, who smiled so sweetly as you approached with your full entourage. Spirit hops onto the shelf first, waving at Blue and pulling Yarn in with him, “we brought him, blue~”

From the other side of the glass, Blue’s eye lights grow brighter and clearer, his smile wide and genuine, “Hello, Yarn! Your family and Winston have told me so much about you. It’s honestly a pleasure to meet you!”

Yarn blushed yellow, turning to Spirit in confusion before turning back, “uh, thanks…glad you’re okay? um…?”

Tesla sits closer to where Blue was standing as the others gather on the shelves, “don’t mind him. he’s kinda bad at being social but he’s got a good soul. Hi, I’m tesla. I like science and keepin’ my family healthy.”

Blue came up to the glass, much more eager as he had a row of bitties in his view while you hung back to give them space. “Hello, Tesla! I’m really excited about health, too!” He seems to realize his volume was rising, his smile falling a bit, “Um, I really try hard to find exercises that are simple and fun so its not such a drudge for people who don’t like it as much. I used to be on a team trying to get the Sansys and Lil’ Bros to at least move a little.”

Todd laughs a bit, “well, it’d take an expert to do that, so I bet you’re real good at it by now, huh?”

“I hope so,” Blue gave a little chuckle of his own. “I didn’t get much of a chance to keep up on the latest trends the last little bit but…I know a lot of good ones.”

Spirit grinned at Yarn, who rolled his eye lights. The nightmare was smug because he’d said he’d find a purpose for Blue on their team and there it was. None of them really enjoyed the feeling of sweating, so they weren’t exactly doing a lot of exercise, but it was important and now here was the perfect teacher.

Snake leaned his head up against the glass of Blue’s room and said, “heeeeeey, baby blue. Gonna sign my papers today. You proud of me?”

“Yes!” Blue chirped, beaming at the Killer, “I don’t know everything you’ve been through, but if it made you this cautious about humans, it must have been hard to overcome. I….I know I’m having a, um, not so fun time, a-and I didn’t even go through that much! Nobody…nobody hit me or anything so…anyway! Yes, I’m very proud of you, Snake.”

Snake’s smile got softer, and Yarn said simply, “he’s been working real hard on a surprise for you at our house. Kinda ssssssss-sappy if you ask me.”

That seemed to throw Blue for a loop, “At your house? I like sappy but how am I going to see something that’s at your house?”

You sound a little distressed as you answer, “Blue, I’m sorry, I thought…we all thought you’d want to come home with us someday.”

Blue’s eye lights went out, but his sockets began to well with tears.

“baby blue?” Snake asked, concerned, and Todd came closer.

“blue, you okay? If I said something, I’m sorry!”

A wail went up from the bitty, his spiffy dress shirt now spotted with blue tear stains, “YOU WANT ME TO GO HOME WITH YOU ALREADY?! I HAVEN’T EVEN DONE ANYTHING YET!”

Winston, who had gone back to the shop front, dashed in, “WHAT IN TORIEL’S NAME HAPPENED?”

Yarn was glitching visibly, going from being pressed to the glass between him and Blue to shaking his head and looking away, “we don’t know-ow-ow! Just said we’d thought he waaaaaa-wanted to go home with us at some point and he started cry-y-y-ying.”

Winston did some impressive parkour to get from the floor to the tank, but he dropped inside and knelt, “Blue, I’m here. What happened?”

“I-I HAVEN’T EVEN PROVED M-MYSELF YET AND THEY-EY WAN-WANT ME ALREADY!” Blue sobbed at a volume that would be normal for his type, but was surprising from how soft spoken he’d been up till now.

“Oh Blue,” Winston smiled and pulled him into a hug. “Are you really this happy about it?”

“YES!”

Everyone outside the room gave a sigh of relief, then Winston looked at the bitties, “WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE COME IN HERE AND COMFORT YOUR BROTHER?”

That was all the invitation Tesla and Snake needed, both teleporting in and quickly joining the hug.

Tesla gently nuzzled the top of Blue’s head as Winston got loose, “we’re glad you’re happy, but maybe a cheer instead’a tears next time? scared the marrow outta me.”

“I’M SORRY, BUT I JU-UST DIDN’T THINK YOU’D WANT ME!”

Snake made soft sounds, mostly shushing noises through his teeth that resembled his namesake, “you’re a great bitty, blue. ‘course we want you.”

The others made their way in and slowly piled in on Blue till you couldn’t even see him anymore. Winston just had a very soft, fond smile as he watched the forming cuddle pile.

Yarn stood to the side, hopping from foot to foot from his frustration. He wanted to get in there and be useful but that would be A LOT of touch. Thinking for a moment, he braided his strings together and slipped a little loop that he tossed into the pile.

Spirit noticed it and used his tendrils to gently place the ring into Blue’s hands, “see? Even yarn wants to help, in his own way. Hold on to this and ground yourself in the texture. Feel it and think about it.”

Nodding, Blue settled with all the much-needed hugs, fingers slowly rubbing over the small loop in his hands, tears slowly stopping as his emotions eased down to a more manageable place.

Winston cleared his throat and looked at you, “Human, as capable and kind as you are, I think you realize it’s going to take quite a lot of time before Blue is able to fully recover from his trauma. He has to be comfortable with you before he can be adopted out.”

“Oh yes,” you fidget, now scared Blue might never like you and your boys would be heartbroken.

The pile of bitties stills, and Blue is back to a softer voice, “I….I can handle it, Winston.” Yes, he’s shaking. Yes, the idea of leaving the safety of the center’s back room makes his very soul tremble, but he knows he has to. This is the human that SAVED him. These bitties around him are much more difficult to take care of properly than he would be, and they are all healthy, happy, and ready to support him. He can feel their concern and care all around him.

And…as he looks up at your face, he feels the nervousness and worry in your soul. You don’t want to hurt him. You don’t want him to be afraid. You’re looking at him like a person and that’s honestly more than he’d ever expected after being with HER.

“I think I want to go home.”

Snake and Tesla beam at him, being the ones snuggled up closest to him, and Tesla whispers, “I’ll show you my snack hoard when we get there. i think I can share with you.”

If he could be with these guys…Blue felt a lot more sure of himself, that he could get better.

\--

Snake’s papers were easy to get through, but Blue’s were a nightmare. Understandably so, since he had been seized and was part of an ongoing investigation by the Royal Guard, but still, it made you so nervous to have to sign so many places and read so many warnings about what punishments you would face if you were found to be negligent or harmful to your bitties.

The bitties were in the store with Winston, letting Blue pick clothes and other things out for himself, and you sighed as you made the final flick of your pen.

“So, Y/N,” Rogers started as he took the papers and started filing them, “Janet and I have kind of been thinking of hiring someone to be more focused on caring for the bitties while I’m running the shop and register and she’s in the back being a cool nurse.”

You nod, not sure what else to say, and he continues, “We were wondering if you’d be interested. It’s just part time, and we’d work around you classes, but we thought we’d run the idea by you.”

That stopped your brain for a few seconds, but then it ramped back up, “What? Me? Why me?”

He laughed, and you blushed, “Because you literally raised an army of bitties that want nothing more than to make you happy with no intention to do so. Bitties seem to love you on sight, Y/N, and as someone who managed to get both an Error and a corrupted Nightmare so wrapped up in you, with no prior bitty experience, that’s saying something. You’re good for bitties and all of us love you and your boys here. You don’t have to say anything right away, but I do want you to think it over.”

They like you here? You aren’t just that annoying bitty person? Like a crazy cat lady only with tiny skeletons?

Wow.

“o-okay.” you mumble as the boys return, being chased by a few Horror Papyrus’ in various aprons.

“AND STAY OUT!” says the one in the lead as the crowd stops, frustrated and brushing down the frills on the fluffy pink cloth. He then looks up to you, smiling, “HUMAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AGAIN! WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOUR ENERGY AROUND. EVEN IF SOME PEOPLE!” he glares at your boys, who are all giggling, even Blue, “DON’T APPRECIATE PICKING UP AFTER THEMSELVES!”

You nod, and he leads the group of Papyri back toward the bitty homes, several of them waving and saying thank yous and good byes to you.

“Oh,” Rogers grins as Winston extricates himself from the pile your bitties have made in the shopping basket they’re levitating, “you got overrun didn’t you?”

“YES I DID!” Winston huffs, but he sees Blue peeking over at him and softens his expression, “I WAS TRYING TO GET THEM TO PUT THE TOYS THEY DIDN’T WANT BACK ON THE SHELVES, BUT THEN THEY WERE THROWING THEM AT ME AND THEN THE CINNAMONS STARTED GETTING UPSET ABOUT THE MESS. THUS ME BEING TOSSED INTO THE BASKET AND KIDNAPPED!”

“But…” Blue asked, looking more and more worried, “it was fun…right?”

Winston blinked for just a moment, then cackled, “YES! I DON’T LIKE DISORDER, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN CHAOS IS QUITE CHARMING. AND IF YOU HAD FUN, IT’S DOUBLY SO.”

Spirit hugs Blue to him, and the littler bitty gives a soft, “Mwehehe!”

You smile as you tease them, “Oh, did my boys become a bad influence on Stella already?”

“Stella?” Snake asks, confused.

“Well,” you kneel down and look at Blue, “I thought a good name for you would be Stellaris, since your sweet little eyelights turn to stars when you’re happy.”

They did so now, and he gasps, “So Stella is me? I’m named after stars?!”

“Mmhm,” you nod and he clings to Spirit’s jacket as he tears up again.

“SHE didn’t even give me a name, and you picked such a good one!”

Tesla gently takes Stella by the hand and squeezes. That gets him to smile through the tears.

Winston hops down from the basket and beams at Stella, “YOU NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT WENCH AGAIN, STELLARIS. THIS FAMILY IS UTTERLY MAD, BUT I HAVE NOTHING BUT CONFIDENCE THEY WILL CARE FOR YOU SPECTACULARLY. AS ANY FRIEND OF MINE DESERVES.”

Stella shot forward and hugged Winston tight, the embrace instantly returned, “I promise I’ll come back and see you as much as I can! Thank you for supporting me!”

You had to dry your own eyes, so you distracted yourself setting the bitties’ things up on the counter to be checked out.

\--

Stellaris actually fell asleep on the ride home, snuggled in the carrier between Snake and Tesla.

You saw Yarn working feverishly, string all over his fingers as he knitted and mumbled.

“Yarn, honey?” You whisper as you park, looking at him, “What are you doing?”

“I honestly do-o-on’t know.” He replied, still going. “I just know I neeeee-need something that will let me hug this stu-u-u-u” head shake, “dumb blueberry so I can stop panicking when he’s upset.”

Spirit chuckled, “somebody has a soul after all~”

“shut it, goobaaaaa-ball”

Still, they both worked together with the others to get Stella into the house without waking him up. Todd flipped the lights on once you were all settled, and that startled your newest bitty awake.

“Easy, Stella,” you had him on your lap, laid out on a blanket he’d picked at the store, and the boys were around you in various places. “We got home fine and you fell asleep. Do you want to wake up for a minute, or are you okay for a house tour?”

He gingerly sat up, looking around and seeing everyone, taking in your living room. “I think I’m okay for a tour.” Stella was quiet, but he seemed very happy with what he was seeing. “Would it be okay to unpack all my things when that’s finished?”

“Of course. I’ll get it out of the packaging for you so you can touch it all as soon as you get done with the tour.” You feel so warm toward this timid skeleton, especially as he hops down with Tesla and Todd, with Snake and Spirit following behind.

Yarn, working on his latest project, sat on the far side of the sofa and growled, “dunno what I’m thi-i-inking. Tch. Just a stupid new bitty. Not like it’s my joooo-job to take care of him just cause he likes me.”

“True, but the fact you’re making the effort is making me very proud of you.”

Yarn’s whole skull began to glow with his blush and he stopped talking, at least until the sound of the others had faded enough to say they were in the bedroom.

“I’m just…stella was happy to meeeeeeee-meet me. nobody acts like that about an error bitty. And then I couldn’t do anything-ing-ing-ing when he was upset. When anybody is upset.” Yarn looked up at you, brows knit in concentration, “I want to get as comfortable with other bitties as I am with you nooooo-now. I don’t,” tiny teardrops appeared in the edges of his socket, “I don’t want him to hate me when I can’t cuddle like blues enjoy do-o-oing.”

“Oh Yarn,” your chest hurts as you see his commitment to avoiding such a thing, realizing he’s making a glove from the shape of his knitting, “honey, I’m glad you want to get closer to others, but Stella won’t hate you for something you can’t control. He knows about other Errors, he knows to be respectful of your boundaries.”

“I don’t want him to have to.” His voice sounded angry, but his expression was one of pain. “that bitch who owned him huuuuuuuuuuu-hurt him so much he doesn’t even talk like a normal baby blue. She made him scared to be-e-e-e himself or even be happy. he deserves so much be-e-e-etter. I’m lucky I got you for my first human. my ooooooonly human.” His fingers dug into the thick jacket he liked to wear when going out of the house, “stella should have had you from the star-ar-art.”

Carefully, you turn over so you’re laying on the couch, eye level with him as you try to understand, “What happened to him really bothers you that much, huh,” your finger gently brushes blue tears off his cheekbones, and though he shudders, his response is a nod and to lean in. “I can’t say it doesn’t make me want to scream, too. I don’t understand how anyone could treat a bitty so poorly, could not love them like I love all of you. Even if she didn’t pick him herself, someone like Stella should have gotten the respect and care he deserved instead of being ignored.”

“yeah,” Yarn had dropped his project now, gripping your finger tightly instead. “at least my life was har-ar-ard because I chose that. Hearing about spirit, and snake…stella, all of them found terrible pe-e-eople before you. it makes me scared. What if something happens to you? wha-a-a-a-aaaaa” head shake “what will we do?”

Your heart was breaking, he was so desperate for answers, and you realized you already had a plan, “I’d leave you all to Rogers and Janet. If anything happens to me, temporary or permanent, you all will go where I know you’ll be safe and taken care of.”

“not your mom?” he seemed surprised, and you sighed.

“Mom would take care of you all, but you’d be so far from anything you knew, and I know the rest of my family is just….not good for you all. They don’t understand,” you had to accept that, “and I don’t want to add to the things she has to worry about. Besides, I know Winston would be more than miffed if he never heard from you guys again. Especially now that we have Stella.”

He nodded, and then sighed, “that…sounds good to me. much as I liked her, your mo-o-om made me nervous from how nervous SHE was.”

“I thought so.” You almost wince as he let go of your hand. “But I think, once she’s more used to you all, like once we go home for the summer, things will be better. She raised me, after all.”

“did a gooooooo-good job, too. just keep that one lady away from me till she lear-ear-ear-earns we have feelings.”

You nod, of course you will. Guessing Yarn feels better since he’s knitting his gloves again, you get down in the floor and dig in the bags from the center, opening the little packages of clothes and toys, noticing the tiny plush taco in an impossibly small bag with a label. “Cheesy” You set that one aside for your little blue to open himself. Stella must care very much for this little plush if he named it and you don’t remember buying it…Winston must have put him in your bags.

There are tiny feet suddenly running at you and Stella crashes into your leg, “WE HAVE TO GO BACK!”

“Did you need something?” You don’t like the panic in his voice, and the rest of the boys are soon rushing or teleporting nearby.

“I FORGOT CHEESY!” he was in tears, and you quickly grab the little bag and hand it to him. “OH THANK STARS!”

“Winston remembered him for you,” you assure, petting Stella’s back as he hugs his tiny taco friend. Who else could have fit the plush in such a tiny bag, or written the label in such a fine, steady hand on such a small space?

“I’LL HAVE TO THANK HIM SO MUCH!” Stellaris sniffles and gently sways back and forth as he hugs his plushie.

“We might make some treats just for him next time we go in,” that sounds like a good idea to you, and you know Stellaris is from a line of bitties that love cooking.

“THAT…that sounds good,” his voice drops in volume now that he’s calmed down.

Tesla looks interested in the plushie, and Todd asks, “Can you introduce us to your pal, starry?”

“Y-yeah,” Stella gives you a grateful nuzzle to your fingers as he shows off Cheesy to the rest of your boys, telling the story of the kind guardsman who gifted it to him. You’re grateful to the dog monster, despite knowing you’ll never meet them in person, for thinking of your tiny sweetheart before you could get to him and ensuring he got to the center safely.


End file.
